Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s 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. – Synopsis via Paramount Pictures
BETTER MAN is directed by Michael Gracey. It is written by Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, and Michael Gracey. It is based on the life of British pop-star Robbie Williams but the story isn’t told in the way that most biographies are.
I know he is from across the pond and I tumbled onto his music in the late 90’s. His early music includes songs like “Millennium” and “Let Me Entertain You.” I would say that he was a bigger star in the UK than in the States. Aside from this bit of information, I know nothing about him.
As for Gracey, he also directed THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, and even though this isn’t the traditional “musical”, the flamboyant nature of Williams makes it feel like this could be onstage. It reminds me a bit of ROCKETMAN in the way the story is told.
Cast via Wikipedia
Robbie Williams as himself (narrator, vocals)
Jonno Davies as Robbie Williams (voice and motion capture)
Adam Tucker provides additional singing vocals for Robbie
Carter J. Murphy provides the voice of young Robbie
Steve Pemberton as Peter Williams/Conway, Robbie’s father
Kate Mulvany as Janet Williams, Robbie’s mother
Alison Steadman as Betty Williams, Robbie’s grandmother
Damon Herriman as Nigel Martin-Smith, the band manager of Take That
Raechelle Banno as Nicole Appleton, a member of All Saints and Robbie’s fiancée
Kayleigh McKnight provides additional singing vocals for Nicole
Jake Simmance as Gary Barlow, a member of Take That
Liam Head as Howard Donald, a member of Take That
Jesse Hyde as Mark Owen, a member of Take That
Chase Vollenweider as Jason Orange, a member of Take That
Tom Budge as Guy Chambers, Robbie’s songwriting partner
Leo Harvey-Elledge as Liam Gallagher, the lead singer of Oasis
Chris Gun as Noel Gallagher, lead songwriter of Oasis
Frazer Hadfield as Nate, Robbie’s childhood friend
Leatham Blisand as young Nate
Anthony Hayes as Chris Briggs
John O’May as Terry Swinton
VIDEO QUALITY 4.5
The video is a 2160p HEVC presentation with Dolby Vision. It was captured digitally and with the lenses they used gives a filmic feel. The images are sharp but have softer edges that haev a vintage quality. This is true of the coloring as well. Even later on in the film, things still came off as come from archival footage.
There is also a nice grain on the transfer. The blacks in the shadows and contrast are deep. The details are striking in Robbie’s fur and the texture of his primate skin. Small wrinkles and blemishes are prominent on his skin. Also, there is a lot of attention to make sure the eyes match Williams’.
AUDIO QUALITY 4.5
The audio is a Dolby Atmos box that will default to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mix. The scenes with performances are atmospheric and use all of the channels properly. Whenever there is music, it is expansive and changes the mood of what’s happening. The LFEs are subtle no matter what is happening on screen. Sound movement and reproduction are done well. The dialogue is clear and prioritized.
SUPPLEMENTS & PACKAGING 2.5
-Let me entertain you: The making of BETTER MAN: This almost 33-minute extra explains how this movie went from simple phone conversations to a feature film.
-Monkey Business: The VFX: This looks at how Wētā built the ape model for the film and why Michael Gracey made the wise decision to go with them.
Disc Details
2-Disc Set w/1 4k UHD and 1 Blu-ray
Digital Copy
Slipcover included with the initial release
Running Time
135 mins
Edition Ratings
Rated R
Region Coding
Region Free
Video Resolution
2160p HEVC H.265
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
HDR
Dolby Vision
HDR10
Audio Mixes
English Dolby Atmos
English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
French Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio descriptive
Subtitles
English
English SDH
French
Spanish
THE FINAL WORD 4/5
I tend to enjoy biographical movies when I know nothing about the subject. For example, I recently reviewed a movie about Pharrell Williams that impressed me because I didn’t know how much involvement in the music I listen to. I have nothing but positives to say about the film and I don’t want to go into the details because I think this is worth watching. This has an exceptional showing in both the audio and video but very light on the extras. I will admit that the extras included are probably the information that would be requested and maybe the mid box-office showing is the reason. Like I said, this is worth your time and entertaining for sure. It is a worthy addition to the Paramount Presents… Line. I recommend picking up your copy.
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