Rocketman as another failed biopic.

Rating: 3/10 (10 August 2019)

Not so long ago, I wrote about the completely disastrous Bohemian Rhapsody, which showed us essentially a caricature of Freddie Mercury and the whole Queen group, and here on the screens is a new attempt to shoot a biography, this time - the story of the ups and downs of Sir Elton John. However, honestly speakings, I note that the filmmakers immediately warned everyone that "Rocketman" is not a biopic, but a musical fantasy based on the life of Reginald Dwight (after all, that's what Elton's name really is).
What did we see as a result? Two hours (now people just forgot how to make short films) gallop on the biography of Elton from the time of his early childhood until 1983. What is most unpleasant, the mere musical came out, and I can't stand the musicals. And when all people around suddenly start to sing and dance - people in a cafe, a crowd on the street, visitors in a gay bar, it becomes very funny and even uncomfortable to sit through. But the filmmakers could not sustain all two hours in the musical format. The film either breaks down into surrealistic fantasies (a scene in the pool), then gallops through 15 years of Elton's career (a scene with a rotating piano), then sharply slows down and becomes almost dead in the languid dialogues of John and Bernie Taupin. Speaking of Bernie. He himself is shown very accurately, but the nature of his collaboration with Elton is completely distorted. And when actor Jamie Bell, playing Taupin, begins to sing, my ears start to bleed right away.
But what about Taron Egerton, who plays Elton himself? Well, yes, he is very similar at times, especially in the scene with his mother in a restaurant, he sings ... well ... not bad, but he doesn't reach the level of John. And he overplays very much in drug scenes, in passion scenes with John Reid and in concert episodes. By the way, speaking of a gay topic - it is surprisingly minor in the film, there is, really not that much as one can expect. But the period of marriage to Renate Blauel is simply crumpled and slurred.
Another big disappointment is the complete absence of the plotline of musicians in Elton's band.Very smart rockers played there, and their participation in the arrangements was crucial. And in the film they are just, as it were, some long-haired comrades in the dressing room , or standing on the stage with guitars and drums - and that's all. Then they simply evaporate and then again appear from nowhere.
Well, the movie is not without actual errors, gentlemen. The presence of the guitarist at the early concerts was very funny (by then John had only himself, a drummer and a bass player in his band). It was very funny to hear the song of 1976 in 1970, and tunes of 1982 and 83 almost in 1969. And of course the most ridiculous thing was to think up that Reginald took his last name from John Lennon, and not from singer Long John Baldry. Well, yes, why go into the details of who this Baldry is, when the Beatles are here, and everyone knows them. Well, then why isn't there a concert sequebce featuring John Lennon? After all, he performed very cool there on the same stage with Elton.
What we get at the end line is a very chaotic and slim fantasy on Elton's excesses, the entire plotline with studio work is almost completely removed, concerts are shown on the surface level, albums are mentioned very briefly, and as a result, young viewers will have a lot of mess in mtheir heads after watching this movie.
My rating is 3 out of 10, only for the music and Egerton's efforts to sing. Well,a dn also for the classy depiction of the Bernie Tapin's part. Watch this movie once and forget.