A still from ‘Better Man’
| Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

I am sceptical if a more banana (no pun intended, seriously) of a biopic could arrive this festival season than Better Man, which is The Greatest Showman-maker Michael Gracey’s captivating film on the life of British pop star Robbie Williams.

Let’s get this underway first: Better Man isn’t that trailblazing film that tells you the answers to the universe’s mysteries. At its chassis, this adrenaline-pumping musical biopic only tells an all too familiar story of an unruly artist and his cocaine-fuelled slides in and out of self-apathy, addiction, heartbreak, fame, and mountains of insecurities.

But then what elevated Better Man into one of the most fun experiences on the opening night of the 55th International Film Festival of India was this: it’s an all-out musical with wonderfully choreographed and pristine-looking set-pieces. Secondly, Gracey exhibits extraordinary control over a narrative that moves in and out of reality and fantasy. And, as you would have guessed, the central character is a CGI-generated monkey, voiced by Williams and Jonno Davies, and fully enacted for motion capture by Davies.

All this monkeying around seemed like a mere gimmick from the promos of Better Man, but then this distinctive feature of the biopic is also its most daring endeavour. Gracey has taken seed of the idea, as he says in a message before the screening, from how Williams grew up looking at himself as a less evolved human being. Better Man doesn’t treat this as a joke but uses it to spotlight the humour and irony in everything around Williams.

Thanks to the voice acting and good CGI magic that captures nuanced expressions and body movements, in mere minutes into the film, yours truly suspended the fact that this was a monkey. If anything, that only credits Michael Gracey’s film, co-written along with Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, as an attempt true to the human element at its core. Most of the emotional beats in the script manage to strike hard.

It all begins when Robbie Williams wasn’t Robbie Williams, but only Robert, a kid who lives with his nan (Alison Steadman) and mother (Kate Mulvany) in the underbelly of Stoke-on-Trent, and wishes to see if he has the ‘it’ that his father (Steve Pemberton) had said (before he abandoned him) all superstars are born with. He’s bullied around and deserted by friends, but even as a child, Robert displays a talent for putting on a show. As a teen, he actualises a position on the music scene after becoming a part of the hot and new boy band, Take That. Strap on your seatbelts as, from here on, Better Man rockets into the night sky.

Gracey’s explosive style of filmmaking makes every musical set piece — one more over-the-top than the other — count. One such sequence comes immediately after Take That, with the help of their manager Nigel Martin-Smith (Damon Herriman), secures a new record label. The sequence where Robbie meets his lady love, All Saints singer Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno), is gorgeously shot and choreographed; a regular meet-cute on a yacht, after Robbie is humiliated out of Take That, is blown into something straight out of Disney’s handbook. With every song, you wonder if Gracey just wanted to pump more money and test the limits of how bizarre it could get.

A still from ‘Better Man’
| Photo Credit:
Paramount Pictures

It surely must take guts and an audacious conviction to say, let’s push a musical to its unconventional peak, not because it could be done, but because it must be. This is a film that either works for you or doesn’t; regardless, it is undeniably eccentric. In one instance, the sound of a toilet being flushed in the background is imposed on the image of Williams drowning a drink. The crazy reaches its peak at a Planet of the Apes-esque sequence where Robbie sings at Knebworth Park, the historic concert that cemented his position as a pop star of the ages.

Again, while this is the most unusual of biopics, is it the most piercing portrayal of a troubled man? I am unsure. A few emotional beats are opaque, like why Williams couldn’t pull himself up and amend his relationship with Nicole. But then, when you wonder how a real-life pop star had trusted the vision of a filmmaker to dig so deep into his troubles, baring naked his vulnerabilities, Better Man is triumph enough.

Better Man was the opening film of the 55th International Film Festival of India

Between limited-edition Starbucks drinks and flamboyant red carpet appearances, “Wicked” has taken the world by storm leading up to its highly-anticipated release Friday. 

The film — part one of the two-part musical — returns audiences to the magical realm of flying monkeys and the Emerald City. The story is inspired by L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” and Victor Fleming’s 1939 film adaptation, this time introducing viewers to younger versions of Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. 

“Wicked,” however, is more directly based on the Broadway musical of the same name — which first landed on stage in June 2003 — inspired by the 1995 novel ”Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West,” from author Gregory Maguire. 

All of this to say, this film has been literal decades in the making. 

The iconic story’s latest installment follows the bubbly, charismatic Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande) and green-skinned outcast Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), whose initial rivalry leads to an unlikely friendship. 

Despite their distinctly different backgrounds, the popular girl and the pariah are forcibly introduced as roommates at the esteemed Shiz University, where they discover a shared aspiration to become sorceresses.

Animosity gives way to affection as the pair bond over newfound similarities, beautifully represented in the fan-favorite musical number “Popular,” during which Grande’s vocals greatly impress. The playful, whimsical scenery and vibrant takes on the Broadway production’s original costumes — both in this scene and throughout the whole film — add to the fun, enhancing the pair’s chemistry and lighthearted energy of the scene.

For a film centered on kindred spirits, soulmates and finding oneself, its messages are patently present in the relationship between Erivo and Grande, both on and off the screen. 

During their press tour, the decorated actress and renowned pop star have repeatedly referenced their deeply loving friendship, which began blossoming on set. Viral clips of the two crying mid-interview(s) began circulating, drawing both curiosity and criticism from fans.

Erivo responded to these criticisms in a Buzzfeed interview, discussing the importance this project holds to the cast. 

“We keep trying to say it’s not that we’re just crying out of nowhere. This experience was, like, a huge, life-changing, crazy, emotional thing,” Erivo said during the interview. 

When bringing a Broadway musical to the big screen, there can be many challenges — in particular, finding a film cast that can live up to that of the theater production. And yet, director Jon M. Chu transforms the two-hour-and-30-minute Broadway musical into a two-part cinematic journey, with the first segment alone clocking in at two hours and 40 minutes. 

In its extended runtime, the film expands on Elphaba’s backstory and further explores the world of Oz, offering more action-packed sequences that could never be realized on stage. 

Songs once limited to a theater setting now unfold in open landscapes, including the iconic sweeping tulip fields of Oz. Elphaba is also no longer confined to staged illusions of flight, with the film showing Erivo soaring through the air above the Emerald City’s towering green spires, giving audiences a never-before-seen glimpse into Oz.

The film medium also allowed for more opportunities to get creative with costume design, something Paul Tazewell took full advantage of. 

According to an article from People Magazine, the film’s costume team created over 1,000 costumes in total. Grande has 25 total looks spread over the two films — compared to the nine costume changes in the Broadway production — each of which provides a playful, sparkling addition to the witch’s iconic wardrobe. 

Fans of the original Broadway production will not be disappointed by Erivo’s exhilarating performance of “Defying Gravity” in the finale of the first act. Erivo’s wide range of vocals combined with the vibrant cinematography and action-packed conclusion create the perfect segue to the second part — set to release Nov. 21, 2025. 

All in all, “Wicked” does justice to the original musical’s beloved soundtrack and storyline, while also highlighting bold, colorful cinematography and voices new to the world of Oz.

Though the nearly three-hour runtime might discourage some viewers, the film maintains its allure with witty humor and impressive performances from both Erivo and Grande. The supporting cast, including Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, also shines, contributing to the experience of the film. 

Sure enough, “Wicked” has everything that really counts to be popular this weekend at the box office. 

Rating: 5/5

Christmas-themed movies have become so ubiquitous it’s hard to avoid the feeling that filmmakers have come to think of them as annuities for their retirement accounts. So it’s no wonder that the Farrelly brothers have waded into the territory for the first time, with their new comedy directed by Bobby Farrelly making its debut on Paramount+. And while Dear Santa doesn’t exactly qualify for entry in the filmmakers’ pantheon beside the likes of There’s Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber, it should fulfill its goal of being trotted out annually for holiday consumption alongside the turkey and the eggnog.

Considering that the words “Santa” and “Satan” contain exactly the same letters, it’s amazing that it’s taken this long for someone to come up with the idea for a movie about an 11-year-old with dyslexia who writes a letter to Santa, only to find it answered by Satan thanks to inadvertent letter placement.

Jack Black, in his first collaboration with the Farrellys since 2001’s Shallow Hall, plays Satan, who shows up one night in the bedroom of Liam (Robert Timothy Smith, a real find) after the bespectacled tween has written what he thought was a letter to Santa. Satan, sporting horns and a burgundy leather-and-fur outfit and announcing that he’s there “in the naughty flesh,” doesn’t bother at first to inform Liam of the truth but instead offers him three wishes, in the devilish hope of stealing the little boy’s soul.

Liam’s first wish is for the romantic attentions of Emma (Kai Cech), his classmate with whom he’s besotted. Satan instantly grants it and it isn’t long before Liam is escorting Emma to a Post Malone concert, complete with VIP seats and backstage pass. This plot element provides the opportunity for an extended sequence featuring the superstar rapper-singer playing himself, which should help the film appeal to its desired teen demographic.

As with any deal involving Satan, things quickly grow complicated, here in the form of subplots involving Liam’s friend Gibby (Jaden Carson Baker) having to pretend to be a cancer patient and Liam’s concerned parents (Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur) having him see a child psychologist. (The shrink is played by the always funny but unfortunately underutilized Keegan-Michael Key.)

It should hardly come as a revelation that Black’s hardworking comedic efforts are the film’s saving grace. Adopting a deep growl that makes him sound like late-period Jack Nicholson, the actor is clearly having a ball with his colorful role, and the fun proves infectious. He makes the many bad jokes bearable and the decent ones even funnier with his typically manic, perfectly timed delivery.

And to be fair, there are a few decent ones in the screenplay co-written by Peter Farrelly and Ricky Blitt (Family Guy, Loudermilk), even if it inevitably includes bathroom humor in the form of Satan casting a gastrointestinal distress spell on Liam’s obnoxious English teacher (P.J. Byrne). “Every time a grown man sharts himself, a demon earns its horns,” a smug Satan informs Liam. There are several funny pop culture references that should please adults while befuddling the target audience, including a reference to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Satan announcing that he’s staying at the “Redrum Motor Lodge.”

“You can probably guess my room number,” he adds.

Culminating in a maudlin ending that seems a bit much even for a film of this type, Dear Santa is the sort of forgettable holiday fare — much like the current theatrical misfire Red One — that will probably nonetheless live on forever on streaming services. And if no less a figure than Charles Dickens could resort to creating a Christmas story for some quick cash (look it up), why shouldn’t the movie studios?