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Rocketman
(Paramount Pictures)
By Lucas Allen
“Bohemian Rhapsody” was the story of Freddy Mercury and “The Dirt” was about the exploits of Motley Crue, but “Rocketman” shows the rise and impact Elton John brings to his music and colorful persona. Rather than make it a standard rock music biopic, director Dexter Fletcher opted to make it a full-blown Broadway musical using some of the singer’s famous songs to mirror the story. There is something to be said about the iconic singer that hasn’t already been said, but this movie will make you love his music even more.
The life of the rock legend begins when a young Reginald Dwight (Taron Egerton) lives in rural England dealing with his overbearing mother (Bryce Dallas Howard) and distant father (Steven Mackintosh). He finds solace in his piano playing and grows up wanting to be a rocker. He soon meets songwriter Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) and the two of them begin a working relationship that will shape both their lives.
After coming to America, Elton soon became an overnight sensation, releasing gold records and chart-topping singles earning him praise all over. Like all good musician stories, there’s sex, drugs, and rock & roll in the mix. Not to mention sleazy manager/boyfriend John Reid (Richard Madden from “Game of Thrones”), who takes control of his client’s career and likelihood. Naturally, it begins to spiral out of control as it affects everybody around him.
Right from the opening number, the movie takes you to a different place than where you were expecting. We experience Elton’s colorful world from the gray tones of his childhood to his lavish lifestyle swept with rainbow colors. But unlike the PG-13 “Bohemian Rhapsody,” this R-rated film doesn’t hold back on the singer’s homosexuality and his relationships. It shows that a movie like this can follow a similar plotline, but can also be bold in showing the rawness of real life within the music.
The movie still follows the basic rock biopic plot about the rise to stardom and the descent into dangerous vices. However, it uses both Elton’s songs and Broadway-style numbers to make the singer’s life story match the fantastical elements of his stage persona. Some of the numbers tend to go into weird territory, but they do measure up to what his story is all about. It does make you appreciate the creative effort him and Taupin brought to the music after hearing it on the radio countless times over the decades.
Egerton is absolutely wonderful embodying the singer’s electric personality throughout the movie. He’s also a talented singer bringing new life to these classic songs. His scenes with Bell, Madden, and Howard help drive the story combined with the other actors also lending some vocals of their own. Still, Egerton is the one who carries this whole film on his shoulders and should be rewarded for his efforts come awards season.
No matter how you feel about the recent rock biopic boom, “Rocketman” can be seen as the high point of this current trend. In this season of sequels and reboots, this is an absolute must-see for both Elton John fans and fans of great pop music. Don’t be afraid to sing along and tap your feet with the other members of the audience, because that’s what Elton himself would want you to do.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for language throughout, some drug use, and sexual content)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.5 Stars (Out of Four)
