The Reel Review
The highs and lows in the life of British pop superstar and former Take That boy band member Robbie Williams are brought to the big screen in this unconventional musical fantasy biopic portraying Williams how he says he sees himself – as a slightly less-evolved, crowd-pleasing monkey.
Portraying Williams as a chimpanzee was a bold move, but thanks to co-writer/director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), some spot-on CGI and an impressive Jonno Davies (Hunters, Kingsman: The Secret Service) as the acrobatic dancing monkey (voiced over by Williams himself), it works – a constant reminder of Williams’ self-acknowledged feelings of worthlessness, self-loathing and needing to please others, and how that fueled his years-long, self-destructive addiction to drugs and alcohol. The scenes with his loving and encouraging nan are particularly moving and the seamlessly and meticulously choreographed dance sequence on Regent Street in London, featuring the evolution of Take That’s looks over the years, is an absolutely joyful visual and musical spectacle.
Story wise, some of the supporting characters are a bit one-dimensional, but even so, impressive performances by Raechelle Banno (Home and Away) as Williams’ former fiancée/All Saints bandmember Nicole Appleton and Steve Pemberton (Inside No. 9) as Williams’ estranged father elevate the material. Williams fans will love all the details in this staggeringly honest story about how getting everything you want in life can be the ultimate curse. It is compelling enough that even non-fans will stay enthralled, all the way up to that tearjerker of an ending about forgiveness – wow.
REEL FACTS
• Robbie Williams and Take That lead singer Gary Barlow are now friends. Williams had some changes made to the screenplay after Barlow expressed unhappiness at how he was initially portrayed. None of the songs Barlow wrote during their time in the band together are included in the film.
• It took a year and a half to secure permission from the British Royal Family to shoot the lavish Regent Street dance sequence, which was delayed for another five months after Queen Elizabeth died just two days prior to its initial scheduled filming.
• The Take That song Greatest Day is featured prominently in the 2025 Oscar-winning film, Anora.
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