TIFF 2024: Better Man Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

For those frustrated with how formulaic music biopics have become, do I have a film for you. Michael Gracey’s The Greatest Showman may have won over audiences, but it did not receive the same enthusiasm from critics. The film’s runaway success at the box office left many assuming the director would spend the rest of his career crafting similarly bombastic, crowd-pleasing musicals. His follow-up, Better Man, certainly delivers on spectacle, but it’s far more daring and ambitious than what one might expect.

Better Man tells the story of Robbie Williams, the multi-platinum British pop star and former member of Take That. While Williams enjoyed massive success in the UK, breaking the record for the solo artist with the most #1 albums in the UK, he never quite broke through to the same level in North America. For many, this film may serve as their first encounter with his music—and Williams seems fully aware of that. Rather than follow the usual biopic formula, the film takes some bold creative risks to set itself apart from other films in the same vein. Though it touches on some familiar beats, two elements make it stand out: it is presented as a full-blown musical, and Williams himself is portrayed by a CGI monkey.

Not many would have imagined that Gracey’s follow-up to The Greatest Showman would be a biographical musical about Robbie Williams—with Williams himself portrayed by a lifelike, foul-mouthed monkey. And yet, here we are. As absurd as it sounds, this creative choice brings a surprising edge to what could have otherwise been a standard music biopic. There’s something oddly fitting about it, too—using the monkey as both a symbol of the lack of control artists have when they achieve fame and Williams’ own self-image, filtered through layers of humor and self-loathing. What’s most striking, however, is how brutally honest the film is. Williams pulls no punches in critiquing his own flaws and missteps, making the film feel less like a vanity project unlike other music biopics where the musician is involved.

Visually, Better Man features impressive CGI, with the monkey displaying expressive, almost human-like qualities. Rather than feeling uncanny, the monkey blends in seamlessly with the live action environments, making it easier for audiences to connect with it. The musical sequences are electric, and will have many dancing in their seats. The film’s creative liberties give Gracey the freedom to experiment with the musical sequences, making them bold and fantastical. Although it takes several bold risks in its approach to Williams’ story, it isn’t entirely free from the familiar tropes riddled in most musical biopics. For much of its runtime, it plays with convention in clever and refreshing ways, but come the third act, it succumbs to clichés that feel misaligned with the inventive spirit established earlier.

In the end, Better Man is a wild, genre-defying ride that embraces absurdity without ever going too far. It’s a film that celebrates Robbie Williams’ highs while confronting his demons with brutal honesty. It hits the emotional beats relatively well, and its musical sequences make the film feel like a spectacle worth seeing in theatres. While it doesn’t completely escape the pitfalls of the music biopic genre, its bold choices—both narratively and visually—ensure that it leaves a lasting impression.

Whether one is familiar with Williams’ music or discovering him for the first time, Better Man offers a unique take on the music biopic genre that is worth seeking out.

still courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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Tristan French