Rocketman (2019)

Even though I don’t particularly like musicals and I’m not a big Elton John fan, I was eager to see “Rocketman.” The early critical response surrounding it was extremely positive and I absolutely loved the other Dexter Fletcher-directed film that starred Taron Egerton (“Eddie the Eagle.”)

I was surprised how much I enjoyed “Rocketman”, it features some of the best performances of 2019 so far, incredibly entertaining and fantastical music sequences and some genuinely profound moments. It’s easily my favourite movie of 2019 that isn’t an epic blockbuster!

From the jazzy songs to the tough character moments, Taron Egerton is phenomenal in every moment of “Rocketman”, conveying Elton John’s conflicted and damaged side through his more flamboyant and outgoing public persona. The scenes that depict Elton’s struggle with his troubled childhood, drug addiction and sexuality are believable and heart-breaking, which are aided by the gripping central performance in “Rocketman.” It goes without saying that Egerton is also a really great singer when it comes to Elton John songs (as we discovered in the animated movie “Sing”, in which a gorilla, voiced by Egerton sings “I’m Still Standing.”) Whatever Oscar-bait is released between now and early 2020, Taron Egerton definitely deserves the Best Actor Academy Award!

The supporting cast in “Rocketman” are all exceptional. Jamie Bell is endearing as Bernie Taupin (who's probably the only completely likeable character in the film), his close friendship with Elton is at the heart of the movie and is integral to the themes of “Rocketman.” Richard Madden’s John Reid is cruel, manipulative and much less likeable and Bryce Dallas Howard delivers an unexpectedly nuanced performance as Elton’s mother Shelia.

I appreciated that “Rocketman” wasn’t a fluffy or overly-soppy story, its plot actually had real emotional weight and complex ideas to explore. The themes of substance abuse and addiction, sexuality, dysfunctional family relationships, friendship, abandonment and forgiveness are all dissected in “Rocketman.”

“Rocketman” could have been a generic Rise-to-Fall-to-Redemption biopic, but Dexter Fletcher’s energetic direction and the extravagant song sequences make “Rocketman” stand out. It’s not really a musical in the traditional sense, the characters don’t burst into songs about pretty flowers and nice clothes (or whatever most musicals are about), but instead, the music moments are reserved to help drive the narrative forward in the more dramatic moments, and to make the plot more unique and unusual. At first, I was caught off-guard by how bizarre “Rocketman” gets, but after I let the catchy songs wash over me, I settled into the insane and trippy sequences.

“Rocketman” will almost certainly have a positive impact on people in the LGBTQ+ community due to its portrayal of Elton John’s life, the film never brushes over or sanitizes key aspects of Elton’s personality. His struggle to become not the person others expected him to be, but the person who he wants to be, despite the stigma that might entail, is one of the more triumphant elements to “Rocketman.” I think “Rocketman” will also affect people with parents that failed to acknowledge or praise their achievements, as a recurring theme throughout the movie is Elton’s childhood desire to be properly loved by someone.

The only problem I had with “Rocketman” was that some of the scenes in the final third dragged slightly, they weren’t boring by any stretch, but the lack of a clear conclusion caused some of these scenes to meander slightly.

To summarise, “Rocketman” is a dynamic and brutally honest depiction of how a person is damaged by their parents’ lack of affection and the negative effects of fame. It’s highly entertaining, but also deeply moving and tragic, whilst never being too breezy or grim. The acting, directing, music and costumes all deserve to, at least, get nominated for Oscars because it’s a truly excellent movie!