The comparison between ROCKETMAN and BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is obvious. Besides the involvement of Dexter Fletcher in both films, the two stories are similar: a musically talented Brit rises to fame that goes to his head, separates from old companions, and goes through a phase of sexual and drug excess before finding his way back to himself and the people that are important to him after a health crisis. Whereas Mercury‘s biography went through all the stages in Freddy‘s life in a somewhat forced way, ROCKETMAN speeds through Elton John‘s life disregarding historical fact, from his youth to the end of his rehab in 1983. From the first moment when Elton John storms into a therapy session in his full stage outfit and confesses his addiction, the big hits are integrated into the plot. Sometimes diegetically, sometimes as dialogue. Everything there is to say about the reasons for his suicide attempt is expressed in the song the film is named after. Then he‘s back on stage to his next success, and when the show is especially great, the whole crowd gently floats to the ceiling. Taron Egerton sings himself and plays John as having emotional depth, never coming to rest, and sometimes moody and unsympathetic. The platonic friendship with Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) is the most important constant in his life. ROCKETMAN, unlike RHAPSODY, isn‘t shy about showing happy, gay men together in bed. With a screenpay by musically experienced Lee Hall (BILLY ELLIOT), it‘s just a matter of time until ROCKETMAN becomes a musical on stage. But this is actually the ultimate Elton John musical – just bigger, louder, and more colorful.

Christian Klose

Translation: Elinor Lewy