The film was the first by a major studio to include a gay male sex scene. It grossed $195 million worldwide against its $40 million budget and received positive reviews from critics, with praise for Egerton's performance. Rocketman premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on and in the United States on. John served as executive producer, while his husband David Furnish produced the film through their Rocket Pictures, alongside Matthew Vaughn's Marv Films. Principal photography began in August 2018 and was completed later that year. After both Hardy and Gracey left the project following creative differences between Focus and John that halted an initial production start in fall 2014, the project languished for several years until Paramount Pictures and New Republic Pictures took over as distributor in April 2018, where Egerton and Fletcher signed on. The film had been in development since the 2000s before it was announced in 2013 that Focus Features acquired the rights to the film and director Michael Gracey (who eventually served as executive producer) was attached to direct the film with actor Tom Hardy set to star. The film stars Taron Egerton as John, with Jamie Bell as Taupin, Richard Madden as John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen, John's mother. Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, the film tells the story of John in his early days in England as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his musical partnership with Bernie Taupin told through his music, and is titled after John's 1972 song " Rocket Man". Decide for yourself if my gripes hold any water.Rocketman is a 2019 biographical musical drama film based on the life and career of British musician Elton John. So, is it worth seeing? My criticisms aside (and we all know what they say about opinions), it really comes down to this: if you're a fan-and especially a DEDICATED fan, like me, who's followed him from his humble beginnings in America in the summer of 1970-go see it. Don't leave right away after the credits roll. You will learn many things about EJ's life in this film that you may not have known before.I know I did.ĥ. You can't really find fault with the staging and choreography of the musical numbers. Jamie Bell (Bernie Taupin), Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden (EJ's agent & self-centered 1st lover), Stephen Graham (Dick James), Tate Donovan (L.A.'s Troubador Club manager Doug Weston), Gemma Jones (Ivy, EJ's grandmother, I think.? Or friend of the family?) & Steven Mackintosh (EJ's cold, uncaring father).and all others in the film, essentially faultless. His singing, most of the time, is virtually spot-on, catching EJ's lilting singing style quite well. Some might see his acting as occasionally over the top, but frankly and for all we know, maybe EJ really did act that "extremely" at times, considering his anger issues. Taron Egerton is actually pretty amazing. These 3 things, however, are about my only problems with the film. Maybe someone in the know can enlighten me on this. This infuriated me! For those who don't already know: in the early days of EJ's career, Paul was the orchestrator who provided EJ with the BEAUTIFUL, lush string accompaniments that added so much to EJ's early music (classic example: EJ's soundtrack to the 1971 French film, FRIENDS) and, IMHO, could have been a big player in his success as a burgeoning artist, firmly introducing/establishing The Elton John "Sound." He SHOULD have been a part of this film-even a small one, if deemed necessary-but for him to be utterly omitted from the story mystifies me. Never, at any point in the film, is Paul Buckmaster mentioned or acknowledged. ("Oh, come on, guys-seriously?" moments.) There were times when I genuinely felt this was going to end up as the Ken Russell version of TOMMY for the new millennium.ģ. Much as I love Elton John, this "rock & roll fantasy" of his life treads a little too far into campy territory for me, with 2, maybe 3 very (thankfully) brief moments in the film that can only be described as cringeworthy. It is not presented as a straightforward biopic in the same manner as BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.Ģ. This is the John/Taupin equivalent of a Rodgers & Hammerstein. If you absolutely HATE musicals, save your money. Without giving any actual spoilers away, consider this: 1. I predict many will love it, and many will revile it.
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