We♥Movies: Rocketman / Yesterday / Shaft / Men in Black International

Rocketman

Although the film is well-made and features Taron (Eddie the Eagle, Kingsman) Edgerton in an all-in, committee, and star-making performance as singer Elton John, the movie comes off somewhat mixed and ultimately plays like the film of a musical version that is yet to be (though inevitably will be) made.

Though billed as a rock bio, the two-hour feature really only explores the ten years or so, of Elton John’s musical rise and biggest popularity, and ironically, his most unhappiest time. Songs are all sung by Edgerton in the film, who does a mostly admirable job, though Elton’s particular vocal inflections on songs we all know by heart, are often missed.

And like a musical, the songs are selected more to fit the structure of the moment, rather than being historically accurate – in an early scene where he and songwriter Bernie Taupin are presenting demos to their publisher in 1967, ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues’ (from 1983) is played, and during John’s legendary 1970 run at L.A.’s Troubadour club, the movie shows him playing ‘Crocodile Rock’ (written more than two years later), with club owner Doug Weston mentioning Neil Young had sold out there two weeks prior (in fact, it was over a year plus, that Young had last played there).

Tidbits like Elton shown choosing his last name after spying a picture of The Beatles and focusing in on John Lennon (his last name was in fact, derived from UK Blues singer Long John Baldry) will only irritate the more devoted Elton fan, though casual moviegoers probably won’t give it a second thought.

The film also stays mostly sad until near the end, when John’s comeback is chronicled via a shot-for-shot remake of 1983 reborn hit, ‘I’m Still Standing’ (which Taupin actually wrote about surviving his rough divorce) and a montage of John becoming sober, getting married, and having two sons, something his musical colleague Freddie Mercury never got to see at the end of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Props to Elton John for helping insist the movie maintain its R-rating and staying mostly honest, “I didn’t live a PG-rated life” John has said. 

As a piece of pure movie entertainment, Rocketman ticks many of the boxes, but as a definitive and historically accurate record of the legendary piano-playing singer’s life, it falls somewhat short.

Rocketman is from Paramount Pictures and is in theatres currently

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (W♥M rating – 7 out of 10 hearts)

Starting with one of the most original ideas in recent film – after a brief worldwide blackout, only one person on Earth apparently remembers The Beatles and their timeless songs – this crowd-pleasing charmer is a fun musical journey to follow, set in a what-if science fantasy reality.

Himesh Patel stars as Jack Malik, the unlikely benefactor of remembering the band and eventually adopts the songs as his own, though he has growing misgivings about claiming the work that is not his own. The effervescent Lily James plays his friend and first manager trying to keep him grounded, as his popularity grows exponentially because of the irresistible new music.

Director Danny (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) Boyle is expert in providing a slow moment, multi-panel montage, or scrambling frantic pace when the scenes call for it, and writer Richard (Love Actually, Notting Hill) Curtis peppers this love story with his recognizable blend of whimsy, wry comedy, and heart-on-sleeve confessions, that makes this odd story one to invest in.

Singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran plays a main role in the film (also growing up very near Suffolk where much of it is set) and acting as Patel’s character’s mentor in some smaller funny scenes and sharing the stage together at the massive Wembley Stadium, and SNL’s Kate McKinnon plays Malik’s American manager, providing some too-honest comic relief.

An amazing and revelatory (sort-of) cameo towards the end helps Jack realize his need to be honest about everything, and Curtis’ romantic script tendencies go into overdrive, for the film’s satisfying conclusion, re-enforcing the Beatles lyric that “love is all you need”. 

Fun, funny, and romantic, should you see Yesterday? – Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Yesterday is from Universal Pictures and opens on June 28–

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (W♥M rating – 8 out of 10 hearts)