How does one fully encapsulate a life in two hours? I am completely baffled as to how to work that out properly. All the many nuances that make up oneâs experience, what do you leave in and how do you remove the rest? Then you have to add music onto that, to boot. Some musical biopics hit the mark while others just fall into the same clichĂ©s that would you would find in a Behind the Music television special. âRocketmanâ splits the difference.
My first encounter with Elton John came as most who came of age in the 90s from seeing âThe Lion King.â Those songs were inescapable. But I would say that I became really aware of him from radio and, later, the advent of compact disc. My favorite song of his is âHonky Cat.â And that is the main reason why I wanted to see this movie: my love of the music.
And Taron Egerton sings all these beautifully. It is not an impression; itâs an embodiment. The performance he gives is great, as well as Jamie Bell (a joy, as always) playing Eltonâs long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin. The two of them carry the film and give the emotional weight to every one of their scenes. I just wish they had been in a better film.
Rocketman
★★
Directed by: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell
Rated R for language throughout, some drug use and sexual content
Music is a major part of a film like this, but it is not just a biopic. As advertised, this is a âmusical fantasy.â And fantasy it is. Some of the more dramatic scenes work well. However, they are undercut by more surreal sequences that feel like something out of a Broadway show. This is all fine and good, but the style gets in the way of the substance. Much like the film âAcross The Universeâ where songs were cued up by the dialogue, scene transitions become erratic. There is a scene just before the much-publicized Dodger Stadium performance, where the heavier elements are mixed with water ballet. Is it sad? Is it whimsical? I donât know. The way we are sent hurdling out the concert made me wonder if I was on drugs.
What is funny is that these ideas could have worked if it was a Broadway production. So many famous singers have had jukebox musicals based around their music and lives. Some of these transitions could have worked with the limited means of the theater format. Here they come off as excessive and gaudy, obscuring the richer parts of the story.
It is clear that many people will like this movie. One person exclaimed as I was leaving that they will go see it again. But more often than not, I am guessing people will walk out saying this is alright. They will enjoy certain aspects about it and go on with their day. The film has all the hallmarks of a rousing mainstream crowd-pleaser. But Elton Johnâs music is better than this. Even as I was leaving the theatre, those wonderful tunes were buzzing in my head as I made my way out into the daylight. But that is Eltonâs music; it doesnât need the window-dressing. Biopics come and go, and some leave an impression. This one left me with two good performances and a tune humming from my lips. Maybe that was all it needed to do.
