Better Man

Better Man

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8 / 10

1 Review

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8 Based on 1 Votes

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Overview

Follow Robbie Williams' journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

Media

Better Man | Why the Monkey? (2024 Movie) – Robbie Williams, Michael Gracey

Cast

Robbie Williams

Steve Pemberton

Director:

Michael Gracey

Writer:

Michael Gracey, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Jory Anast

Release Date:

2024-12-06

Run Time:

135m

Tagline:

Fame makes monkeys of us all.

Genres:

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 110,000,000.00$

Revenue: 22,549,151.00$

Vote Average: 7.6/10

Vote Count: 837 Votes

Movie Popularity: 5.5157

Spoken Languages: English

Review

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Insomniacs Reviews
- 30 April 2026 at 9:28 pm

8 Based on 1 Votes
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⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY This isn't your standard, glossy musical biopic. It tells the life story of British pop icon Robbie Williams, tracing his rise from boy-band stardom in Take That to his massive, record-breaking solo career. The twist? Robbie is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee for the entire film, while everyone else remains human. It’s a gritty, surreal dive into his struggles with fame, addiction, and self-loathing, using the ape imagery to represent how he felt like a performing animal for the public. THE PROS The decision to use a chimp as the lead is a stroke of brilliance that actually pays off. It strips away the celebrity ego and makes his feelings of isolation and being "on display" feel visceral and honest. It hits an 8 because the musical sequences are directed with incredible energy, turning familiar hits into surreal, high-stakes set pieces. Robbie Williams provides his own voice and narration, bringing a raw, self-deprecating humor that keeps the story grounded despite the CGI. It’s a bold, gritty choice for a biopic that avoids the usual "rise and fall" clichés by being completely unhinged and visually unique. THE CONS The gimmick might be a bit of a hurdle for some; if you can't get past a singing monkey in a tracksuit, the emotional beats won't land. It stays at an 8 because the second half leans heavily into the dark reality of addiction, which can feel a bit repetitive and bleak compared to the high-energy start. It misses a higher mark because it glosses over some of the other band members' perspectives, keeping the focus so tightly on Robbie that the surrounding world can feel a bit thin. The pacing also drags slightly during the mid-career slump before the final big performance. THE VERDICT 8/10. A weird, gritty, and surprisingly moving film. It’s an honest look at the cost of fame that takes a massive creative risk and pulls it off. Even if you aren't a fan of his music, the visual storytelling makes it worth a look. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • Director Michael Gracey, who also did 'The Greatest Showman', used motion-capture technology to ensure the chimp's movements and expressions matched the real Robbie Williams’ stage presence and mannerisms.• Robbie Williams spent hours in recording booths for the narration, often going off-script to provide more blunt, honest reflections on his past mistakes and the reality of the UK music scene in the 90s.• The film features several massive recreations of iconic concerts, including the Knebworth show, which required thousands of extras and complex digital work to match the scale of the real-life event. THE VIBE Like a bright stage light in a dark room. It smells of hairspray, spilled lager, and the metallic tang of a cold microphone stand.

Videos

Better Man | Why the Monkey? (2024 Movie) – Robbie Williams, Michael Gracey

Cast

Robbie Williams

Steve Pemberton

Alison Steadman

Frazer Hadfield

Raechelle Banno

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Better Man

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 30 April 2026 at 10:28 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10
THE SUMMARY
This isn’t your standard, glossy musical biopic. It tells the life story of British pop icon Robbie Williams, tracing his rise from boy-band stardom in Take That to his massive, record-breaking solo career. The twist? Robbie is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee for the entire film, while everyone else remains human. It’s a gritty, surreal dive into his struggles with fame, addiction, and self-loathing, using the ape imagery to represent how he felt like a performing animal for the public.
THE PROS
The decision to use a chimp as the lead is a stroke of brilliance that actually pays off. It strips away the celebrity ego and makes his feelings of isolation and being “on display” feel visceral and honest. It hits an 8 because the musical sequences are directed with incredible energy, turning familiar hits into surreal, high-stakes set pieces. Robbie Williams provides his own voice and narration, bringing a raw, self-deprecating humor that keeps the story grounded despite the CGI. It’s a bold, gritty choice for a biopic that avoids the usual “rise and fall” clichés by being completely unhinged and visually unique.
THE CONS
The gimmick might be a bit of a hurdle for some; if you can’t get past a singing monkey in a tracksuit, the emotional beats won’t land. It stays at an 8 because the second half leans heavily into the dark reality of addiction, which can feel a bit repetitive and bleak compared to the high-energy start. It misses a higher mark because it glosses over some of the other band members’ perspectives, keeping the focus so tightly on Robbie that the surrounding world can feel a bit thin. The pacing also drags slightly during the mid-career slump before the final big performance.
THE VERDICT
8/10. A weird, gritty, and surprisingly moving film. It’s an honest look at the cost of fame that takes a massive creative risk and pulls it off. Even if you aren’t a fan of his music, the visual storytelling makes it worth a look.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• Director Michael Gracey, who also did ‘The Greatest Showman’, used motion-capture technology to ensure the chimp’s movements and expressions matched the real Robbie Williams’ stage presence and mannerisms.
• Robbie Williams spent hours in recording booths for the narration, often going off-script to provide more blunt, honest reflections on his past mistakes and the reality of the UK music scene in the 90s.
• The film features several massive recreations of iconic concerts, including the Knebworth show, which required thousands of extras and complex digital work to match the scale of the real-life event.
THE VIBE
Like a bright stage light in a dark room. It smells of hairspray, spilled lager, and the metallic tang of a cold microphone stand.

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