Robbie Williams is messing around in a brilliant, bombastic musical biopic

Yes, singer Robbie Williams is a CGI monkey in this wildly ambitious musical biopic. But what sounds like it should be a joke is actually one of the most inspired casting pieces of the year. Even more than with The greatest showmandirector Michael Gracey has created a fun, bombastic, brilliantly choreographed and totally compelling film.

This time he takes us from Williams’ childhood in Stoke, and the shadow cast over him by his singing father, to his unhappy boy band years, the painful splits with Take That and All Saint Nicole Appleton, and ultimately redemption in the form of a solo career and success that Gary Barlow could only dream of.

The pace is exciting and there are plenty of exciting dance sequences; one medley in London’s Regent Street is breathtaking. Williams is number three on the list of musicians with the most number one albums in Britain, behind only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. But when it comes to musical biopics, William may stand alone at the forefront. Rocketman And Bohemian Rhapsody are just two of the acclaimed films left in the dust Better person.

It’s one of the most inspired casting pieces of the year

Williams fans will point to his number Me and my monkey as inspiration for the film – and not just because Williams (who voices himself) is played by Jonno Davies, via an ape CGI makeover by the VFX team behind Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. The song is all about Williams’ highly publicized battle with drug addiction and his path to making peace with himself. The film follows a similar template. Most rock biopics can be hagiographic to some extent; this one sees Williams airing all his dirty laundry. What makes it so endearing is that the singer takes responsibility for his actions. Sometimes it even feels like he’s beating himself up a little too much for the foolishness of his youth.

Strip away the celebrity images – especially those of Liam Gallagher who is, well, Liam Gallagher – and this is the story of a small-town boy who had the personality and bravado to become famous, but not the resources had to deal with it. It is the story of how insecurity and fear can lead us to self-destruction. But also how, with some introspection and a moment to take stock, we can get the monkey off our backs.

In US theaters on December 25, and in UK and Irish cinemas on December 26.