Rocketman
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden
Directed by: Dexter Fletcher
Rated: R
The rock star musical biopic has never been more popular. From last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody to The Dirt (Netflix’s recent Motley Crue biopic), to a future David Bowie film currently in development, the time for the genre is now. Rocketman is the one of the moment, and Elton John is the star.
Rocketman follows the life of Reginald Dwight as he grows up in a chaotic household, but develops a deep love of music and ascends to superstardom under the stage name Elton John.
The film is directed by Dexter Fletcher, who also directed some of Bohemian Rhapsody after Brian Singer was fired from the production. What sets Rocketman apart from Bohemian Rhapsody is its narrative structure. It’s not a paint-by-numbers biopic, but a fantastical retelling of Elton John’s life. Dexter Fletcher does a brilliant job blending fantasy and reality throughout Rocketman. Certain scenes begin grounded in reality then take on a dream-like fantasy as Elton becomes enveloped in the creative approach.
The film also functions as a full-on musical. Instead of inserting a song in a scene because it was written at a specific time, the music guides the story every step of the way. The characters communicate with each other through song in many scenes. The lyrics of Elton John’s music helps further their character development and connect the audience to their storylines. If you’re a big fan of musicals, you’re going to have a great time with this movie.
The second that Taron Egerton stormed on screen, I knew this was going to be an excellent performance. He is electric in every scene, embodying the rollercoaster of Elton John’s rise to stardom. It’s important to note that Egerton does all of his singing in this film. He pulls it off flawlessly, hitting notes that sound just like Elton John. My highlights were Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, Rocketman, and Crocodile Rock. Beyond the music, he hits the emotional beats just as well. Whether it’s the turbulent relationship with his family or his fear of never finding love, there is a lot of pain behind that music.
One person who helps Elton immensely along the way is Bernie Taupin, played endearingly by Jamie Bell. He is one of the only positive influences in Elton’s life as his collaborative writing partner. He encourages him daily and shows him what real friendship means.
On the opposite side of Bernie are Elton’s parents, Sheila and Stanley, played by Bryce Dallas Howard and Steven Mackintosh. They are cold and unfeeling people thriving on chaos. Their dysfunction slowly takes over Elton’s life, making him wonder if anyone could love him. Just when it seems like one parent has dealt the most crushing blow, the other does something heartless to top them. It’s as if Bryce Dallas Howard and Steven Mackintosh are in an acting battle to see who can be the most emotionally stunting parent to Elton John.
There is yet another Bohemian Rhapsody connection in this movie. Richard Madden plays John Reid, Elton John’s music manager. John Reid also appeared in Bohemian Rhapsody as Queen’s music manager (played by Aiden Gillen). In Rocketman, John Reid and Elton John are in a romantic relationship that turns dysfunctional due to Reid’s cruel nature. This role is quite a departure for Richard Madden as I’ve never seen him play such a dark character. (This is a far cry from Prince Charming in Cinderella!) but he is convincing in the role.
Part of what furthers the character dynamics of the film is the screenplay by Lee Hall. There is a lot to unpack here, but the way it’s all pieced together as a journey through dysfunction, addiction, and personal growth is quite effective. We see Elton John in several different stages of life coping with a severely dysfunctional family dynamic that eventually leads to a fear of never being loved. As he gets older, John struggles with his sexuality and finding someone who can love him. He turns to alcohol and drug addiction to cope. Eventually, this leads to self-loathing. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a genuinely powerful scene at a point in this movie embracing the power of forgiveness and accepting oneself. It’s an impressive screenplay that covers a lot of themes.
Rocketman soars as a vibrant musical biopic creatively blending fantasy and reality through the lens of Elton John’s life.
My Rating: 9/10
*All images belong to Paramount Pictures