So much better than expected - one of my favourite all-time films now

Rating: 10/10 (22 November 2018)

I saw the film, not knowing any critic or public reviews. I expected a good film - but what I got was a fantastic experience, that few films of any genre deliver these days.
I am not even a Queen fan - I am 51 at time of writing so grew up knowing and liking many of their hits since I was a kid in the 70s. I have bought only a few of their greatest hits albums over the years. However, I always understood what fans saw in the band, appreciated the many catchy hits, and felt Freddie Mercury one of the best showman and singers of 'our' time.
Now, I know the Queen Live Aid performance pretty well; have seen it many times and could never get over how in such a short time any band can command a crowd's attention so superbly and emotionally (and a crowd that is not even a Queen fanbase, at that). What the film did with this performance was absolutely astonishing, from the obvious stage coverage of the band, which was brilliantly done (right down the the Pepsi and beer on the piano, and Freddie playing with the camera man) to the swoops over the stadium, the whole stage layout, and the crowd close-ups singing along. This whole segment was pristine film-making.
The film, at the beginning, gives a teaser of the Live Aid performance, and then hops back to the start of the band's formation and Freddie's story as the main thread. Everything feels well-paced; we get glimpses of various songs in the making, the recording, the concerts, the band arguments and of course the many surrounding characters that make up the story - the managers, girlfriends, record execs, hangers-on and so on. All are well played and I felt there is a good balance between the personal, the music and the show-biz elements of the story. I could have done with a bit more focus on more songs and studio time, but accept they can only pack in so much. Now, evidently things are not portrayed 100% as they really happened; perhaps he didn't sing in the car park; perhaps they didn't split up and reunite exactly in the way depicted - but does that really matter? There will be plenty of documentaries that fill that gap just fine. This is entertainment first and foremost.
The casting was spot on in every respect except perhaps Bob Geldof (I felt they could have done a bit better with him, but he is a very particular type, so must have been tricky). All the band are excellently played - and without a doubt Rami as Freddie is a performance that you don't often see. He nails it in so many ways - and there are many facets to nail, it is hard to imagine any actor getting all of it right - the gestures, the voice, the looks, the concert showman-ship, the overall personality. I hope he gets what he deserves for all that hard work, and I'm sure we will see a lot more of him in future (quite how he will top this I don't know though).
There is no doubt I will be getting some kind of DVD with Bonus Materials when it is available (hope they do a good 'making of'), and enjoying this film many times in future. As for now, I have added 'A Night at the Opera' on vinyl to my Christmas list for Santa. My first Queen record.
Go and see this film is you have any interest in rock music of the 70s and 80s at all, even if Queen was not your thing. You'll love it.