Rocketman follows the meteoric launch and the explosive fall of one of music’s most iconic artists, Elton John.
90-second review: Let’s get the Bohemian Rhapsody comparison out of the way early. Rocketman is the better film. Not only is it competently made, it’s not just a paint-by-the-numbers biopic that plugs in the right plot points in at the right time — for the most part.
Director Dexter Fletcher, who was brought in to save Rhapsody after he who should not be named was fired, had a clear creative vision for Rocketman that was worthy of its theatrical subject. Much of the movie plays like a musical with fully choreographed numbers, duets, and 11 o’clock soliloquies — the “Crocodile Rock” and “Rocket Man” sequences are standouts. Making this choice differentiates the movie from the typical biopic about a musician.
Taron Egerton evokes Elton John without feeling like he’s doing an impression. His performance and voice are remarkable. Jamie Bell also does great work as Bernie Taupin, John’s longtime friend and musical collaborator. But the character also uncovers one of the biggest problems in Rocketman.
While the movie goes to great lengths to not just hit plot point after plot point in Elton John’s life, it also spends too much time on his long struggle with drug and alcohol addiction rather than looking at how it affected the people around him. There are moments when we dig a little deeper into his relationship with Taupin, which are some of the strongest scenes in the movie, but they’re few and far between.
Overall, Rocketman is a worthy portrayal of the life of one of our greatest living musical artists and gives Egerton an incredible spotlight role in his career. Pay attention, he’s going to win an Oscar one day.
Where to watch Rocketman: Available to buy or rent on Prime Video.
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Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter here. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.
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Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.