Not because the Wachowskis swung for the fences with “Cloud Atlas” has a lot cash been spent on a movement image with such a robust taste of potential fiasco. To explain “Higher Man” to somebody who has not seen it’s to observe their face scrunch into disbelief, as a result of absolutely you are pulling their leg.
It is wholly plausible that the director of “The Best Showman” would make a biopic following the lifetime of English pop star Robbie Williams. And it is a full-blown musical too, with characters breaking into songs exterior of the live performance sequences. It is also plausible, albeit eyebrow-raising, to be taught that the movie is stylized to the purpose of pure absurdity, with its musical sequences defying all legal guidelines of cinema and actuality, ceaselessly tearing the movie into the realm of pure, literal fantasy. And whereas it hits each anticipated musician biopic trope, it might shock some to be taught that it does not sand off the tough edges, totally embracing an R-rating with its depiction of intercourse, medicine, and (one way or the other) excessive violence.
However you then get to the animal within the room: Robbie Williams is performed by a CGI chimpanzee within the movie. Sure, actually. Dropped at life through movement seize, Williams is the one non-human within the movie, carrying garments and driving automobiles and acting on stage and snorting cocaine and enduring a tough rehab and doing all the pieces else you’d anticipate somebody to do in a musical biopic. He simply seems to be like Caesar from “Planet of the Apes,” and nobody within the film acknowledges it. Even probably the most normal, kitchen sink drama scenes are difficult visible results pictures. You’ll consider a mo-cap ape can shoot up heroin, and that the film will deal with it with a purely straight face.
Some folks will despise “Higher Man” on precept, and I would not name them fallacious. However whereas many viewers could recoil in disgust, director Michael Gracey has made my sort of fiasco. Swings this insane deserve some sort of respect, and admittedly, that is the sort of swing that earns my immediate and undivided consideration. And potential obsession.
That is the purpose within the evaluate the place I inform you that, as a dirty American, I’ve zero information concerning the life and profession of Robbie Williams, who’s a giant deal within the U.Ok. however barely registers in the USA past his tracks being in style in homosexual golf equipment. However after “Higher Man” performed to a bewildered viewers as a secret screening on the 2024 version of Improbable Fest, I referred to as a colleague with extra musical information than me, described the extra excessive imagery and selections the film makes, and was advised, with out hesitation “Yep, that appears like Robbie Williams.” So I will go away it to the professional on that entrance: this film’s massive selections make a sure sort of sense, to the individuals who know what’s up.
So, what can I say as a non-fan dumped into this bold, formally deranged expertise? I can say that Williams, who voices his personal ape-self (Jonno Davis offers the movement seize efficiency itself) is sort of good, capturing Williams’ confrontational humorousness and deep despair effectively. I also can say that the film does not deal with its predominant character, regardless of (as soon as once more) being a CGI ape, as a joke or a gag. This isn’t a parody. Actually, the selection is impressed by Williams himself, who has described himself as feeling like a dancing monkey all through his profession. Gracey simply takes that picture and runs with it.
The movie’s model could also be excessive, however the fundamental constructing blocks and plot beats on show are as simple as one thing like “Stroll the Line” or “Ray.” If there’s a joke current, the joke is that there is not a joke. It actually helps that the visible results that convey chimp Williams to life are fairly good, and wholly convincing. This is not a “Cats” state of affairs, the place the results look rushed or sloppy. After a half hour, you’ve got simply totally accepted that this musical biopic stars a CGI ape. As soon as once more: if that is the joke, that we simply ultimately deal with probably the most absurd selections in cinematic historical past as one thing regular after a couple of minutes, I supply full and un-ironic congratulations to Gracey and his VFX artists.
