Rocketman Review by Michael Winkler
June 2, 2019 9:09 pm |
Many people might think that Rocketman is just another run of the mill biopic. This is where those people are strongly mistaken. The director of Rocketman, Dexter Fletcher, does an amazing job at capturing the journey of young musical prodigy Reginald Kenneth Dwight’s transformation into world-renowned superstar Sir Elton Hercules John. Fletcher takes chances in this film in which he didn’t in “Bohemian Rhapsody”. I understand that Fletcher took on the role as Director of Bohemian Rhapsody late, and didn’t necessarily have a lot of creative control. Rocketman showcases just how brilliant of a director Fletcher is. While maintaining the feel of a standard biopic, Fletcher manages to add elements of fantasy and jaw-dropping musical numbers that will have everyone in the theater moving subtly to the sounds of Elton John’s classic hits.
This film starts with young Reginald experiencing difficulties in his home life. His hard-nosed father, Stanley (Steven Mackintosh), is very harsh and believes in tough love and encourages emotions to be held in. Sheila (Bryce Dallas Howard) portrays Reginald’s mother. Sheila tries to be supportive of Reginald’s desire to play piano and his dream of becoming something great but falls short in other fields of parenting. Fletcher does a fine job in portraying the struggle of an adolescent, who is combating his emotions while trying to pursue higher learning of music in such an authentic and emotional way. An opportunity arises when Reginald gets a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Music. Luckily for him, his Grandmother was supportive of him every step of the way.
Years later, Reginald (Taron Egerton) was playing in a band of friends, when he decided that he wanted to change his name to Elton John. He wanted to shed the shell of Reginald and become something larger than life. All the while, still internally dealing with the thoughts of his sexuality. I think Fletcher utilized the internal struggle that Elton was facing, regarding his sexuality, in a very respectful and authentic fashion. Elton was then introduced to Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell), who becomes Elton’s writer and a good friend. I think the chemistry between Egerton and Bell on the screen shows the audience just how important the bond is that these two shared. After a bit of success, Elton and Bernie sign with DJM Records and this begins the happy, tragic, sentimental, and entertaining story that is “Rocketman”.
Elton John got his first big opportunity to play in the United States at a venue known as “The Troubadour”. Elton John got some flack for his outlandish wardrobe, but he absolutely lit up the room and soon became a household name. This was one of my favorite scenes in the entire film. While playing “Crocodile Rock”, Elton started to levitate along with the crowd. This scene captures the absolute bliss that Elton was feeling and is also a glimpse into the fantasy style that Fletcher sprinkled throughout the film. By the end of his performance, there was no question of the amount of talent and potential Elton possessed. After the show, Elton met a man named John Reid (Richard Madden) who eventually becomes his manager. Elton and John become romantically involved, which leads to some very dramatic scenes throughout the film.
After gaining so much stardom and success, Elton found himself in a very dark place. Egerton does an amazing job at portraying the many different phases of this lengthy story. Rocketman covers such a variety of emotions that as a viewer, it is sometimes overwhelming and I was brought to tears on several occasions. One thing I will say about the tonal shifts in this film is that it stays true to the emotions being portrayed on the screen. The good times are happy, exciting, and almost euphoric in a way. While the darker scenes make for such a reality check that many people might not have known or even expect from someone like Elton John. Some scenes involve copious amounts of drug use, alcohol consumption, and scenes that touch on suicide and mental well being.
The film takes place as a series of flashbacks told from the perspective of Elton while he is sharing his story at an AA meeting. This might sound odd, but Fletcher makes it work flawlessly. The soundtrack in this film is a compilation of Elton John’s most iconic songs and was sung by none other than Taron Egerton. Egerton may or may not get an Oscar nod for his performance as Elton John, but he should get recognition for his amazing singing and acting as he portrays one of the world’s most treasured entertainers. I also think it’s important to note that during the film, Elton’s child form comes back and sings musical numbers during certain scenes. I feel that these scenes help present-day Elton cope with the different issues he is facing throughout the story. This film was an absolute treat all around. The costume design was over the top and visually stunning, the choreography in the ensemble dance numbers was top tier, and the overall acting was nothing less than great. Rocketman showcases Fletcher’s ability to make the saying “shooting for the stars” a reality.
PCL Rating: Tupperware
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: FRESH 🍅
Tags: Dexter Fletcher Rocketman, Michael Winkler, pop culture leftovers, Rocketman 2019, Rocketman movie, Taron Egerton Rocketman
Categorised in: Movie Reviews
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