“Rocketman” Joins Masterful Musicals in the Best of Ways [Review]

Rocketman made me unbearably angry at Bohemian Rhapsody all over again. Dexter Fletcher directed both, picking up the reigns on the Queen biopic after continual problem child Bryan Singer was fired by Fox, steering the ego-driven ship to an incredible audience and critical response, nabbing a multitude of awards (like Emmys, BAFTAs, and the Oscar for Best Actor).

This is why I’m so freaking mad- it is HIGHLY unlikely that the voting members of the various academies will reward the hard work and ACTUAL FUCKING SINGING Rocketman star Taron Egerton as Sir Elton John did in this film considering they gave all the laurels to Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury.

Rocketman is everything wonderful about what a movie musical can be. It rightfully joins my shelf with Julie Taymor‘s incredible Across the Universe, and Baz Luhrman‘s Moulin Rouge as something special and transcendent.

From the first scene, you know you’re in for a truthful yet stylized internal look at John’s life from young prodigal piano player up to his entering a mental health facility to get sober after a heavy dependance on drugs and alcohol.

Egerton is everything I’d hoped for- charming and painful, a delight to watch assume the mantle of the sparkly glasses-wearing John, and heartbreaking to see take the various true-to-life falls.

The song and dance numbers are wonderfully shot and performed, and one can only hope Rocketman, like Elton, gets the love it so richly deserves.

SCORE: 4.5 OUT OF 5, will CERTAINLY see again.

Rocketman hits theaters everywhere on May 31st 2019.