More than just a standard biopic Rocketman is a fantastical musical of heartache, addiction, and superfluity peppered through the musician’s greatest hits.
I was fortunate enough to see an advanced screening of Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman this weekend. It’s a movie I’ve been looking forward to seeing since the news of the film broke. Despite past musicals and recent musical biopics, I didn’t want to set my expectations too high… Little did I know that the viewers are invited guests of Fletcher’s musical fantasia reminding us that piano master, Elton Hercules John, belongs in the upper echelon of rock n roll.
The ambitious Rocketman arrives in theaters on May 31st and while the film has been drawing comparisons to the docudrama Bohemian Rhapsody (which Fletcher was brought on to salvage after Bryan Singer was let go) a notable difference is that Rocketman isn’t just a re-enactment it’s a fine line of fantasy and reality that weaves in and out, often seamlessly. Taron Egerton shines bright as Elton John even does all of his own singing using Elton’s songs and memories to tell the story of his life or at least elements of it (unlike in Bohemian Rhapsody where Rami Malek lip-synced to recordings by Freddie Mercury or Marc Martel).
The film opens with Elton John (Egerton) in a campy orange sequined jumpsuit complete with devil horns and red wings treading through a dim lit hallway that leads to an AA meeting. While the stupefied group looks around in unison of confusion, Elton then sits in an empty chair and declares himself an addict to multiple things such as alcohol, cocaine, sex and struggles with pills, weed, and shopping – as well as bulimia and anger management issues.
The film’s frame is set thanks to Lee Hall (screenwriter, Billy Elliot and Victoria & Abdul), the rock-bottom moment tells the tale of the paradoxical kind of isolation felt by most entertainers. Except in this familiar story, Elton is the narrator of his own story (as he recalls it) dealing with his inner demons simultaneously struggling with the gripping illusion and deep loneliness of fame while trying to see the light again through all the darkness.
The film struts through many familiar moments of Elton’s story – from growing up in an unhappy home raised by a strict and often icy mother (Bryce Dallas Howard), a loving grandmother (Gemma Jones), and an emotionally absent and often physically distant father (Steven Mackintosh) a young Reggie Dwight (Matthew Illesley) shows promise early by learning to play his gran’s piano and a knack for playing by ear.
Growing into his talent, a preadolescent Reggie (Kit Connor) is then accepted into Saturday classes at the Royal Academy of Music and is encouraged by his gran Ivy to attend. He later discovers rock n roll music by way of his mother and stepfather Fred (Tom Bennett) bringing home vinyl records, one from Elvis Presley particularly stood out.
Continuing to study and find his own style, even wearing horn-rimmed glasses to imitate Buddy Holly, the next scene shows Reggie become a weekend pianist at a nearby local pub and then completely grow into his own and Egerton is shown as adult Reggie. Performing the lively throwback Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis, Reggie found himself in a band, Bluesology.
By day, Reggie ran errands for a music publishing company, dividing his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. He then garners the attention of budding manager Ray Williams (Charlie Rowe) who connects him with the single most important musical person in his life, lyricist Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) in 1967. Together they formed a two-man hit machine that earns them a three-album deal.
Filmmakers weren’t afraid to take some liberties with the truth to aid in the storytelling. For example, when Elton John makes his U.S. debut at Los Angeles’ the Troubadour in August of 1970 he performs Crocodile Rock even though he wouldn’t write the song for another two years. Nevertheless, cinematically and musically it was an ethereal and literal gravity-defying moment.
After his incendiary performance, Elton meets music manager John Reid (Richard Madden, Game of Thrones & Bodyguard) and the sparks immediately fly.
Reid provides Elton with love that he’s been longing for as well as some much-needed sexual release. In a world where most films gloss over or completely erase LGBTQ stories, it was refreshing to see a major studio depict amorous trysts between men. In fact, there could have been more but I digress.
The film doesn’t shy away from the fabulosity that is JUST the surface level of Elton John. Film collaborators Julian day (costume designer) and Marcus Rowland (production designer) did a remarkable job with meticulously re-creating many iconic looks that fans will instantly recognize. The film offers plenty of kaleidoscopic montages and full-scale song-and-dance numbers to the repeated appearance of Elton’s younger self, putting viewers right inside of Elton’s headspace.
Although when stripped of the regalia and frivolity, not everything is champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Like anything, with the fantastic highs of soaring through the music charts there was also the harrowing bottle-hitting lows like Elton’s downward spiral and emotional alienation.
Also, Reid providing a bitter education in the hideous but often sparkly varnish of the endlessly exploitative nature of the celebrity machine causing Elton to lash out to those most caring and loyal – like Bernie (Jamie Bell). Or altogether push away those who helped him — like Ray Williams (Charlie Rowe).
The grandiose theatrics are captivating but what truly dazzles is the heart of the film, the romance – no, not between Elton and John Reid but rather the friendship between Elton and Bernie. Even despite the fact that they were separated by time and distance at one point, the relationship evolved and grew. Which was refreshing to see such openness and honesty portrayed without the archaic toxic masculinity clichés. Especially when set with the composition of Your Song, with its instantly recognizable refrain of “how wonderful life is, now you’re in the world,” affirms their collaborative and loving friendship.
It’s what works for the film, a bit of fantasy which depicts the reality with the music at its very core.
