I desperately need to understand the thinking behind the Robbie Williams biopic. I mean just start with why it was made - most folks in the US have no clue who he is, and this was not cheap to make, you need that audience - but the monkey thing. Make it make sense. - ThreadSky

susanarendt.bsky.social • 62 days ago

I desperately need to understand the thinking behind the Robbie Williams biopic. I mean just start with why it was made - most folks in the US have no clue who he is, and this was not cheap to make, you need that audience - but the monkey thing. Make it make sense.

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lockonandfire.bsky.social•62 days ago

I'm a Brit, I know who Robbie Williams is, but every time I see a poster for that thing I think it's a weird ad campaign for another Planet of the Apes sequel.

foxyness1.bsky.social•62 days ago

I recommend this review https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/film/2025/01/robbie-williams-anti-redemption-arc

foxyness1.bsky.social•62 days ago

I’m a RW fan. The ape is a visual metaphor of how he sees himself so is not mentioned by any characters in the movie as he is seen by everyone else as human. It means things on a number of levels. He was “different”, a cheeky monkey, less evolved, felt like a performing monkey.

lenmaessen.bsky.social•61 days ago

I have gone to see this movie twice so far. The monkey thing... works? In a dazzlingly amount of subtle (body language, what that body language says about the person the monkey is standing in for, the various metaphors) and unsubtle (giving the director space for a lot of out-there sequences).

lenmaessen.bsky.social•61 days ago

But unfortunately they are things that are wildly difficult to explain if you haven't seen the thing, which will hobble it, which makes me sad.

lenmaessen.bsky.social•61 days ago

(Though I guess the cliff notes version is that this movie is less interested in being a faithful chronological retelling of someone's life and more interested in diving into the psychology of a guy who struggles with anxiety, depression and self-esteem - the monkey serves that specific story well.)

rossreelachart.bsky.social•62 days ago

I don't understand the "Robbie Williams" part of it. No one here knows who he is.

The "monkey" part I kinda get. If biopics are always seen as inherently "untrue" hagiography (or less true than a straight documentary), then why not just go nuts with it? I mean, Pharrell was a damn Lego.

foxyness1.bsky.social•62 days ago

I’m a U.K. fan and I get you. He’s been successful in Europe, Australia, South America, even South Africa and Russia, height of fame in the late 90s/early 00s and still fills stadiums. (Also he’s worth $300 million!). Fun fact- he was a guest who duetted with Taylor Swift at her London show

susanarendt.bsky.social•62 days ago

I’d be interested in watching his story (I know the hits and the little I know of his life is interesting) but the monkey thing…I just can’t.

foxyness1.bsky.social•61 days ago

He has a Netflix documentary, maybe that will be better for you ! https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81638710?s=i&trkid=258593161&vlang=en

susanarendt.bsky.social•62 days ago

I’d forgotten about the Lego thing!

vikinggal.bsky.social•62 days ago

This is exactly what I thought when I saw the trailer!

squeezedhe.bsky.social•62 days ago

He wanted to appear less than human, as that's how he felt being the product he was.

condrarian.bsky.social•62 days ago

There was an interview with the director where he literally said “it’s sadder when you see a monkey doing cocaine.”

condrarian.bsky.social•62 days ago

Here it is:

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