Biopics are tricky. Just ask 2019 Oscar winning films Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody. For the former, the issue is telling the tale of a Black musician through the lens of his White companion. For the latter, the writers reconstructed the history of the subject to suit the needs of the medium. Both films featured fantastic performances from the cast, yet both fell flat in successfully capturing the subject matter in a faithful, honest way. Writer Lee Hall (Billy Elliott) and director Dexter Fletcher found an incredible way to avoid both of these pitfalls in the poignant and bittersweet Rocketman by leaning into the fantastical essence of the subject matter, living legend Elton John. The end result is not a film, but a cinematic experience worthy of the man, his music, and his legacy.
Taron Egerton as Elton John in Paramount Picture’s ROCKETMAN.
Billed as a musical…
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