Before I watched Rocketman with the wife, I never realized how many Elton John songs I not only knew but also really liked. This is a musical biography of Elton John and it is one of the better ones that I have seen. There is no shortage of musical biographies and it can be hard for them to stand out, however, this one here manages to do just that.
How to Stream or Download Rocketman (2019)
You can stream it or you can download the film from a digital store. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like biographical films about musicians, check out also Respect about Aretha Franklin and Bohemian Rhapsody about Freddie Mercury.
The Movie Review
I was entertained from the start all the way to the credits and I could have jumped straight back in and watched it again. I do feel that Rocketman does enough to stand out from the rest by not just being a retelling of the artist’s life, but by also being a musical. Each major moment of the movie is supported by an epic musical number.
At best I am a casual Elton John fan, but as I just said, this movie made me appreciate his music even more. The movie starts with Elton being in rehab and he then starts to tell us the story of his life. It is done very well and right from the start it gets you invested, and even if you are not an Elton John superfan, you will be hooked and want to know how he got here.
As I am not an expert on all things Elton John, I cannot say how accurate this retelling of his life is, but from what I have heard it is very, very good. The stuff about his childhood and how his mother pretty much did not love him and how his dad just had zero interest in him is pretty brutal stuff.
We get to see him go from being a kid to coming out of rehab and being a global megastar. A huge part of the movie that I enjoyed was his complex but also a creatively amazing relationship with Bernie Taupin. As someone who did not know any of this stuff, it truly was compelling stuff.
Another relationship that is part of the movie is his romantic relationship with John Reid and this is very hard to watch. It is a full-on abusive relationship and seeing the way he was manipulated, cheated on, and flat-out abused makes you really feel for the guy, some of it can be pretty hard to watch, to be honest with you.
The movie was a real passion project for writer Lee Hall and director Dexter Fletcher. Also, I got a real kick out of the fact that Dexter Fletcher, I guy I grew up watching on a British kids show called Press Gang, directed this movie! They did such a great job in bringing this story to life.
Speaking of bringing the story to life, Taron Egerton as Elton John is phenomenal, I knew he was a good actor, but this role is sure to open up so many more doors for him. Jamie Bell as Taupin and Richard Madden as John Reid also play their parts very well. I also thought it was awesome how they got Bryce Dallas Howard to be Elton’s mean-spirited mother!
The wife and I watched the 4K version of Rocketman and it was amazing, especially the soundtrack which supports Dolby Atmos. I think this is one of the best musical biographies that I have ever seen. This is a great movie no matter if you love Elton John, are a casual fan, or even if you know next to nothing about the guy!
