A biopic that actually LIKES its subject

Rating: 10/10 (31 January 2019)

Plenty has been said about this very special film already, so I'll just focus on what I think makes it truly unique. Most showbiz biopics very obviously hold their subject in contempt. There's a lot of dwelling on the negatives in the person's life - a lot of scenes of sex-drugs-rock and roll, temper tantrums, diva moments, etc. The film is usually saying, "Yes, this person accomplished great things, but he/she was an ABSOLUTE RAT! Don't you feel superior to him/her?" Not this film. It doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of Freddie Mercury's life, but it doesn't wallow in them, either. Instead, it focuses on the positives - the way iconic songs were created, the friendships between the band members - and there's a healthy dose of humor. (Ben Hardy, who's the focus of the funniest scenes, is the unsung hero of this film. Rami Malek may be the captain of this ship, but Hardy is definitely the first mate). Remarkably for a film set in the music industry of the '70s and '80s, there isn't a single shot of a person doing a rail of coke. A whitewash? Maybe. But you get the impression that the filmmakers were saying, "That's not what was important. This guy's personality and his relationships with the people closest to him? THAT is important." You leave the theater feeling positive and uplifted - because even though it ends on a sad note (Freddie's AIDS diagnosis), it goes out with warmth - his reconciliation with his parents and his legendary Live Aid performance. You end up thinking that Freddie might have had his issues, but in the end? He was an okay guy. And his bandmates? They were okay guys, too. Combine that positivity with the acting quality, the sharp writing and Queen's incredible music and you have an unbeatable package. No wonder people see this over and over - I plan to as well.