“Better Man” is finally coming to Paramount Plus.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with this music biopic about Robbie Williams, it was one of two big biopics to hit theaters last year. And while “A Complete Unknown” may have come away with more Oscar nominations, it didn’t have a CGI chimpanzee as its lead actor.
No, I’m not making that up. Rather than opt for someone like … let’s say Timothée Chalamet, as the lead actor, “Better Man” instead used a CGI ape as a stand-in for the iconic British singer.
It was a bold choice, pushing the film’s budget to a reported $110 million. Unfortunately, it may have been too out there for theatergoers, as the movie only brought in $20.3 million.
But while it flopped at the box office, “Better Man was a critical success. So while you may have missed it in theaters you should definitely see it now that it’s on one of the top streaming services.
‘Better Man’ Paramount Plus release date
Paramount Plus has announced that “Better Man” will be released on March 11.
What is ‘Better Man’ about?
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As mentioned already, “Better Man” is a music biopic film about the Take That singer-turned-solo-pop star Robbie Williams.
Williams wasn’t a huge star in the U.S. — a factor that may have contributed to the movie’s flopping at the box office. But in the U.K., he was a sensation, scoring seven No. 1 singles and 13 No. 1 albums.
To tell the story of Williams’ life, the filmmakers used a CG-animated human-size chimpanzee that was voiced and motion captured by actor Jonno Davies.
This choice isn’t something that’s acknowledged in the movie — it’s a self-commentary about Williams’ feelings about his psyche rather than a gimmick intended for shock value.
With Williams handling narration and vocals, the movie takes the audience from his humble beginnings in Stoke-on-Trent to fame, fortune and both the good and bad that come with those things.
