Rocketman (2019) – Film Review – “Stand-Still (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)”
I don’t really have a frame of reference for this film. I was never a huge Elton John fan—I like his music, sure, but I only rocked out to a bare few, chief among them: The one hinted at in the vague title of this review.
That said, I had to take a lot of this viewing at face-value…and also with a pinch of salt.
I’ll be comparing and contrasting this film with last year’s lauded Freddy Mercury bio-pic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Not to say that either is lacking where the other succeeds, or vice versa, but—come awards season (scoff), it’ll be hard for news-desperate media outlets and independent egotists, alike, to do otherwise.
What I will say is a strength for both films in-question, is the absolute perfection of the respective leads in their starring roles.
Taron Egerton (the Kingsman franchise, Sing!) nails Elton John’s look and attitude; keeping in-mind, also, that this is a fictionalization—like Rhapsody—the character he portrays on-screen is just as deep and tragic, laden with his own burdens and ambitions. Looks as though the actor put on a little weight for the role, too. I liked the mode through which they tell the story, mostly flashbacks and memories Elton has in the “present day”. We’re introduced to him in this at his absolute lowest, but from where there’s nowhere to go but up. It’s through rehashing all that’s happened to him in his life and coming to grips with his trauma and near-death experiences that he has that “come to Jesus” moment of realizing self-worth, and coming back bigger and better than ever.
Egerton’s voice is phenomenal, and he sounds just like a young Elton. He carried a lot of the other cast, even the…odd choice of casting Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World, M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village) as Elton’s mother. A lot of his reactions to what other characters do and say to him are genuine, evocative. The stakes for everything he does are high, but also relatable and real—sometimes life-or-death, sometimes career-altering. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Elton and his songwriter friend, Barry (Jamie Bell; Jumper, Fant4stic). That these are Barry’s words, but Elton’s emotions and performance—his talent and torture—is amazing on-screen. Perfect way to show the dichotomy of character without resorting to cardboard dialogue.
As you know, if you’ve been following me a while, I’m a sucker for some real-life context. The end-credits montage of side-by-side snippets of actual photos and wrap-up text lends to the legitimacy of the piece.
I think the editors could’ve trimmed the fat, a bit, and achieved that PG-13 rating. The audience would’ve been bigger, for sure—something which, I think, led to Rhapsody’s critical and commercial success. Both are life-affirming pieces about familial dissidence, finding and losing love, epic falls and majestic redemptions…though this new one lacks in the depth department. Too many characters and sub-plots, I think; Rhapsody has roughly the same number, but it feels…tighter. More together, structurally.
I don’t think the stage musical style lent anything to Rocketman’s finality in my head, or itself as a whole—besides rushing through what could’ve been, otherwise, very deep and meaningful character introspections. It all feels rushed, just so we can move onto the next Elton track. The period feel is cool and colorful, if a bit romanticized and overblown when it comes to some costuming (not namely Elton) and aesthetic choices.
Still…I wouldn’t mind seeing more bio-pics like these.
I’m torn… The other night, walking out of the film, I was talking with my date (mom), and was on the fence of a three- and four-star rating. As I write, and my thoughts become whole, though, I have to say that Rocketman said something at its core that’s incredible: As long as you love yourself, no one can tear you down. I can respect and appreciate any film with that message, and which hits so close to home.
In the end, though, I’d really just recommend this to die-hard Elton John fans—those who remember his rise, growing up—or those looking for confirmation that Taron Egerton is going to be around for a very long time.
Final ‘Risk Assessment: ****/*
