Hi Film Fans!
Hollywood has been on a roll with film biographies. Remember Jamie Foxx in Ray? He brought the music and life of Ray Charles to life. Remember Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody? He did Queen with pizazz!
I for one love the music biopics. They are full of great sounds and wonderful dance. They depict the magic of some of the great performers and get us inside their often painful voyages to stardom.
Now we have Rocketman. The film tells the story of Elton John. Never the spoiler, I'll tell you why this film is so much fun.
First, there is the music. Elton John's repertoire of great tunes seems endless, numbering in the hundreds, and many of the famous ones fill the screen. Of course, Sir Elton did more than just create memorable songs. He performed them with over-the-top costumes, wild antics at the piano, and charismatic showmanship that is rarely matched.
OK, since I just mentioned costumes, that too is part of the experience. Word has it that Elton John lent his actual costumes to the actor playing him. There are so many varieties of outfits and glasses that the audience is mesmerized by the wild presentations.
Guess I'll have to think out of the box the next time I buy a pair of glasses!
Then there's the story. We go back to Elton's childhood to see how it all began. We discover that he came from a dysfunctional home and demonstrated genius on the piano before he was ten years old. We learn that he was pained by this family's lack of acceptance of his life, from being gay to performing at rock concerts.
What about the acting? Great stuff here. The lead is played by Taron Egerton. Who? A relatively unknown actor, to be sure. I did a bit of research and learned that his claim to fame was a minor role in the cult British spy thriller, Kingsman. I also learned that he played the lead in a film about a British ski jumper, Eddie the Eagle.
Seems that Egerton was made for the Elton John role. He simply knocks it out of the park when it comes to depicting the famous singer. He has the same outlandish moves of the music star. He will no doubt be Best Actor material for the Oscars.
My favorite Elton John song is "Crocodile Rock." In my view, the film truly dazzles when we see Elton perform the classic rock tune in front of thousands of viewers. This is the moment he seems to fly...like a rocket!
Do I have any criticisms of the film?
The biop left out two of the singer's most famous songs. The first is "Can you feel the love tonight?" Made for Disney's Lion King back in '93, the song is one of the most moving in music history. The other is "Candle in the Wind", which Elton sang at Princess Diana's funeral back in '97.
I would also have enjoyed seeing a bit of Elton in the past two decades. There is no mention of his being knighted by the queen. There is no mention of his long and loving relationship with David Furnish. There is no mention of the dignified life he has led since his days of drugs and booze.
If you like wonderful song and dance, and you enjoy seeing how stars are born, run out and see this film.
I guarantee you will put it right up there with Bohemian Rhapsody.....or at least close to it!
