Bohemian Rhapsody

Hi Film Fans:

Here's another winner for you!

Do you like stories about bands that hit it big?  I do! This flick takes us into the hearts and minds of a group of musicians who literally start with nothing and end up being one of the most significant bands of all time.  It is the story of Queen, the rock band that was the sensation of the 70s and 80s.

Never the spoiler, I would like to take my own look at the film.

Rami Malek knocks it out of the park with his acting.  He is brilliant as Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury.  Known for his amazing work in Mr. Robot, for which he won an Emmy in 2016, Malek came to the set after Sacha Baron Cohen bowed out.

Malek deftly plays the Indian Parsi refugee from Zanzibar who begins as a baggage handler at the airport.  He stumbles on a small group of struggling musicians, proves his worth to them with his extraordinary voice, and propels them all to stardom.

I was thrilled to see him win an Oscar for best lead actor.

As the lead singer who grows from a simple dreamer into a superstar, Malek conveys all the joy, pain, and sorrow of a man destined to push the envelope in the music world.  His style is simply one of a kind!

Lucy Boynton plays his love interest with equal skill.  She is a well-shaded character as the pretty blond who comes to understand Freddie Mercury.  In the early years, she is his girlfriend, and the love of his love, but as Freddie becomes more troubled, she must strive to love him as a best friend.

Let's talk music.

I'm personally not a fan of the music that Queen produced. What?  I may sound like a heathen to the millions of fans who adore Queen, but truth to tell, I still find the music heavy, ponderous, and loud.  I do admire the stage presence of the band and how they "rocked" the house at big arena events.  But if I can choose between any of a hundred other bands, they would not compete in my book.

Which is not to say that I don't love their best work:  "We will, we will, rock you!"  What a mesmerizing chant that we have all heard or recited!  Of course the words are typical Queen: not really logical.  Think of the lyrics: "You got mud on your face, you big disgrace, kicking your can all over the place."  Hmmmm....

So while I would not spend time in the evening listening to Queen in my living room, I would nevertheless laud this film.  It tells a story that you can't forget.

I give the film A+.

It's not easy to watch, because Freddie Mercury was so tormented.  But it's worth every minute you spend with Queen...and Rami Malek.