Rocketman is a 2019 biographical musical flick about Elton John’s life as both a musical prodigy and a flawed human being.
Without a doubt, Elton John is known as one of the most influential and popular musical artists of all time. As such, it was really only a matter of time before his backstory got the big screen movie treatment. Yet this time around, it’s both a biopic and a musical. Rocketman is a spectacular, vibrant and emotional film that really stands out from most biopics on musicians. It stars the charismatic Taron Egerton in the lead, and features a stellar cast of supporting actors such as Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard and Richard Madden. Directed by Dexter Fletcher, he elevates this person’s life with so much energy, and he shows that movies like this can be great when they’re made by passionate filmmakers.
Rocketman focuses a lot on Elton John’s life as both a kid and an adult, and it’s a very interesting backstory for the filmmakers to explore. From start to finish, it shows John being both an amazingly talented individual and a flawed human being. You get a better glimpse of him being a musical prodigy at a young age, becoming friends with the talented lyricist Bernie Taupin (played brilliantly by Bell), and dealing with depression. His passion for music is showcased throughout, and that’s something the movie does extremely well. Just by watching the introduction alone, it immediately lets the audience know the type of film they’re about to get. Because it’s also rated R, they’re able to show a lot of things that you wouldn’t normally be allowed to see in a PG-13 rated biopic. It’s pretty commendable that Fletcher had the motivation to properly tell this person’s story, while still not going overboard with its R rating.
Egerton brings out an absolutely phenomenal performance as Elton John. There’s just something engaging about his acting skills that add a lot of depth to his role, which also successfully humanizes his portrayal for the audience to connect with on a personal level. His friendship with Bernie is one of the most intriguing aspects of the film, but it also would have been better if we could have seen a little more of it. Whenever they’re on screen together, it’s great even if it’s underdeveloped at times.
The musical numbers are most certainly the highlight of the entire movie, perfectly utilizing John’s songs as a useful way to transition between scenes, but they also allow the actors to have some fun and memorable moments when it’s their time to shine. Lee Hall’s screenplay does a fantastic job balancing both the dramatic scenes and musical numbers in a well-structured way, while still keeping its vibrant energy throughout.
Rocketman takes both the biographical and musical styles of filmmaking into one movie, and successfully gives moviegoers one of the most unique and engaging films ever. Whether or not you’re a fan of this person, it doesn’t change the fact that they showcase Elton John’s life in a truly emotional and fulfilling way for the audience to be deeply invested in. With the help of Egerton’s amazing portrayal, energetic musical numbers and Fletcher’s brilliant direction, Rocketman soars.