Heading to the movies on December 26? Our critics have your Boxing Day and summer trip to the flicks covered.Let’s address the primate in the room. Throughout this biopic of Robbie Williams, the British musician appears as a chimpanzee. With British actor Jonno Davies providing an emotionally expressive performance that gets digitally enhanced, the film is set on the planet of an ape. No one else remarks on Williams’ hirsute appearance, as this persona stems from the singer’s insecurity.
Gracey and his co-writers, Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, have engineered a triumphant homage to Williams that can also be construed as a critique.
“You’re one of the gods,” Peter says, giving his son the anointment he craves. Like many elements in this vexing but never pedestrian movie it’s such a ludicrously obsequious line that you can’t help but question Williams’ hunger for vindication. It’s also worth noting that with its recurring Sinatra motif,Yet, this is fertile ground for Gracey, a visual effects artist who had a huge hit with his directorial debut, the 2017 musical drama, his set-pieces have a transformative energy.