Rocketman is a biopic chronicling the life of singer Elton John, played here by Taron Egerton, from his childhood all the way up through his early success in the 1970’s due to his partnership with songwriter Bernie Taupin, played by Jamie Bell. The movie is directed by Dexter Fletcher, who was also brought on to shoot the remainder of another big musician biopic, last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody, after director Bryan Singer was fired midway through set. With Fletcher’s involvement, Rocketman contains a very similar feel to Bohemian Rhapsody - at times very sweet, and others very larger than life, which make it an enjoyable watch.
In terms of story, this hits plenty of the same dramatic beats as nearly any other biopic - though at the very least, tells a much more accurate story than Bohemian Rhapsody did. Elton is seen in his early childhood, dealing with a father who doesn’t care for him (Steven Mackintosh), while his mother (Bryce Dallas Howard) does at least pay attention to him, but at the same time can often be cold. It shows just how quickly it’s discovered Elton’s a musical prodigy and is on top of the world in his early days. And it shows what happens to him when he becomes addicted to drugs and is consumed by listening to people who are negative influences over him, most notably his manager John Reid (Richard Madden).
Elton John has a very long career that still spans to this day - having only recently retired from touring - though the screenplay wisely sticks to mainly one part of his life, that being the days of his initial success. Unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, which crammed in forty years of Freddie Mercury's life into a two hour movie, this doesn’t rush through making sure it checks off every major dramatic beat of John’s life. While it mostly stays within familiar territory, it allows the story to at least be fleshed out, and it allows the audience to really feel for him in his struggles, while making his victories feel earned.
While the film hits all the notes of a typical biopic, what it does to make it a little more unique is incorporate musical numbers. Throughout the movie, John - and at times, some of the supporting characters - gets caught up in his own fantasies, and when he's feeling a certain way, he’ll break out into song. The musical numbers are all reworked versions of all of John’s biggest hits, from “Tiny Dancer” to “Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting).” This is where the movie is at its most fun.
The musical sequences have the feel of an old-school musical, with characters not just standing around singing, but running around dancing as well, complete with back-up dancers. The costumes - which at multiple points, also add a nice subtle bit of humor to the movie - are much more extravagant in these sequences, playing up just how flamboyant John’s stage persona was in his early days, and help give each musical number its own distinct visual feel. While a few of these songs - most notably in the first act of the movie - don’t exactly always fit with the situation at hand, and the transition from talking to dancing can be so abrupt that it’s almost jarring, these sequences capture the spirit of John's larger than life personality, giving it more life than the average biopic.
The movie also benefits from just how fantastic its performances are, most notably Taron Egerton. While Egerton has never really done a poor job in any of his other movies, this is the movie where he gets to best showcase his acting chops. While the story hits a lot of familiar beats, his performance transcends those moments, hitting the more emotional moments without coming off as manipulative, while finding the balance to hit the silly self-awareness of some of John’s more over-the-top aspects. He’s always bursting with life, right from the moment he's first seen entering rehab in a grandiose fashion in an over-the-top dragon costume. This distinct personality allows the audience to easily connect with him and get invested in his trials and tribulations.
Unlike other biopics that typically rely on just the lead actor’s performance, this movie also has some really solid performances from the supporting cast, including likable performances from Jamie Bell and Bryce Dallas Howard. Though it’s Richard Madden who is the biggest standout as the manipulative John Reid, with a presence that commands the entire scene each time he’s on screen. He has this aura to him where it’s pretty obvious he’s just a bad person. Though while the lack of subtlety would normally be something to look down on, Madden’s subtle self-awareness, knowing he’s not a nice guy and just doesn’t care, makes him an intriguing antagonist to watch. He knows what he is, and knows he can get away with what he does. He has a distinct personality of his own, which allows for the scenes where he and John really butt heads to be some of the film’s stronger moments.
Rocketman tells a story that’s already been told in countless other biopics, though it at least puts a nice spin on the tired narrative trope to make this an engaging story to watch. It has plenty of great performances, most notably from Taron Egerton as Elton John, giving what may be his finest performance to date. And when telling its story, it breaks out into some wonderful musical numbers that showcase some of John’s greatest hits, giving the movie a much-needed sense of fun, while still allowing for it to be an emotional ride that fans and non-fans of John will certainly enjoy.
Recommendation: Watch It
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