Better Man - Review

I'm a Burning Effigy of Everything I Used to Be.

Review written by Jack Aling

Better Man is directed and written by Michael Gracey and co-written by Simon Gleeson & Oliver Cole.

Starring Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies & Steve Pemberton.

Follow Robbie Williams’ journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

The life of Robbie Williams is the next to get the big screen biopic treatment, but like his tumultuous career, this telling of his story is not afraid to be brutally honest and do things… usually.

Let's address the chimpanzee in the room:

For the entire film, Williams is portrayed as a CGI primate through state of the art motion-capture technology. No, it is never mentioned. Yes, everyone else is played by humans. And it is absolutely incredible.

If you have an idea this crazy, you have to execute it at the highest standard or not bother. Fortunately, to handle the motion capture, you have the Avatar and Planet of the Apes legends at Wētā FX and taking care of the musical direction, Michael Gracey, who brought us The Greatest Showman.

Combining with Williams' explosive life story and notable back-catalogue, the final result is an extraordinarily ambitious film that unbelievably comes together, standing tall amongst typical music biopics. The highlight of these puzzle pieces coming together is an energetic sequence to 'Rock DJ', which is worth the admission price alone.

The juxtaposition of the mature and darker subject matter, especially in the second half, with a chimpanzee lead star, surprisingly works. The hyper-realism helps with this and allows the film to go to startling and experimental places. After a while, your brain just accepts it, and you have to keep reminding yourself. I promise there are things in this film you have never seen a chimp do before.

Better Man shows there is still life in the overdone musical biopic when you weave personality and imagination into every element. An emotional, powerful and wonderfully entertaining celebration of a singular talent.

Our verdict: 5 out of 5 stars.

Better Man arrives in UK Cinemas December 26th 2025

Read more of Jack's reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling