Better Man tells the story of English pop star Robbie Williams, known for his work with Take That and his hit singles “Angels” and “Millennium.” The film presents Williams as a CGI monkey without any sci-fi explanation, directed by Michael Gracey, who has a history in VFX. Jonno Davies plays Robbie Williams through voice acting and motion capture, while Raechelle Banno plays Williams’ ex-fiancée Nicole Appleton.
The film dives into the depths of their relationship, from the good to the bad, to the very bad. Better Man started playing in limited theaters on Christmas Day, but will go wider with its release on January 10.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Jonno Davies and Raechelle Banno discussed their reaction to learning that Robbie Williams would be portrayed by a monkey throughout the film. Davies was emotional about seeing the final product, as he was the one doing the motion capture and acting for the role. The two also spoke about working with Robbie and how hands-off he was about the whole project.
Robbie Williams was not involved in the creative process, allowing the filmmakers to tell his story in a unique way. According to Davies, Williams was willing to have a “warts and all” story, and trusted the filmmakers to bring his life to the screen.
Better Man is based on the true story of Robbie Williams’ meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence as a British pop superstar. The film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows his journey from childhood to his achievements as a record-breaking solo artist, confronting the challenges that come with stratospheric fame and success.
Better Man is playing in select theaters now and releases wide on January 10.
