From the director of The Greatest Showman comes a musical biopic where beloved British singer Robbie Williams is portrayed as a chimpanzee. We read the press release three times and we swear that’s what it says.
When is Better Man being released in New Zealand?
Better Man is swinging into New Zealand cinemas on December 26, 2024, which should synch up nicely with Robbie’s traditional Christmas gala.
Better Man (2024)
What is Better Man about?
Australia’s second monkey-themed movie in 12 months (the other being the Sydney-shot Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) is directed by Michael Gracey and is being billed as a satirical musical that follows a good three decades of Williams’ life and career, from his early stardom as a member of boy band Take That to his current position as that singer your mum likes.
Williams, as we noted earlier, is depicted as a CGI ape, for reasons that will surely be made clear. It could be a surreal and poignant portrayal of how alienation leads to burning ambition and an unquenchable desire for stardom. Or it could be a mess.
The cast of Better Man
Robbie Williams voices himself, while Jonno Davies is the voice of the young Robbie Williams. Steve Pemberton is Peter, Robbie’s dad; Raechelle Banno is All Saints star and former Robbie flame Nicole Appleton; the ubiquitous and wildly talented Damon Herriman is music mogul Nigel Martin-Smith; while Alison Steadman, Anthony Hayes, and Kate Mulvany have supporting roles.
Better Man trailer
Why we’re excited about Better Man
We cannot understate this: Robbie Williams is a chimp in this thing. After countless cookie-cutter, self-serving, and carefully homogenised musical biopics, we simply have to check this one out. All other considerations aside, it can’t be worse than Bohemian Rhapsody. Plus, the overwhelmingly positive notices following its debut at the Telluride Film Festival indicate that this one is a big swing that wins.
