What goes around at the Blue Oyster, comes back at the Bohemian Rhapsody

Rating: 5/10 (6 November 2018)

Freddie Mercury is one of those that simply provoke a reaction, you just can't be indifferent to Queen. This movie proves why that's the case- the music, the charisma, the comraderie with the others from the band (Brian May was also brilliantly portrayed). As far as biopics go, Bohemian Rhapsody hit the nail on the head, the band's chemistry is credibly transferred to the big screen, and Malek really was the perfect lead choice. But. Mercury's charisma went far beyond the music, he was a flamboyant and emotionally expressive guy who flaunted his sexuality as an important part of his image. This is where the film begins to turn sour. His life-long close relationship with Mary Austin isn't delivered very credibly, perhaps because one is constantly distracted by the fake theeth and the horrible accent, and I had a hard time believing there was any real chemistry between the two if judged by the movie only. And then, even worse, Mercury the Queen, whose over-the-top sexuality is reduced to a walking clichÃ©: a curious peek at a truck driver (really?!) outside a public loo (imagine parents explaining to their kids what "cottaging" is) and a scene or two depicting a leather-clad Sodoma and Gomorrah in a gay club, comically resembling the Blue Oyster from Police Academy. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is far from homophobic, but its problem is a stereotypical depiction of 1980's gay scene that borders on offensive. Fortunately, the end with the Live Aid gig is a masterpiece, and touchingly, we see both Mary Austin and Tim Hutton standing next to each other, bringing the story to full circle as two equally important people in Mercury's life.