Bohemian Rhapsody - Film Review

(photo:QueenOnline.com)

What makes a good rock biopic? Is it slavishly accurate chronology and detail? Is it a no holds barred dishing of the dirt? If so then "Bohemian Rhapsody" fails on both counts.

I would suggest that THE one thing a good rock biopic needs is that you believe that you are watching the character(s) depicted, not an impersonation. In the case of Rami Malik's performance as Freddie Mercury, success of the highest order was achieved.

Despite this being billed as a Queen biopic, it really is a film about Freddie. Whilst the film does make the clearly valid point that Freddie needed the rest of Queen as much as they needed him, from a story point of view, much as he was on stage, Freddie is a charisma tsunami sweeping all before him.

Malik superbly portrays the private vulnerability as well as the strutting public confidence. The rest of the band play their roles well, with Gwilym Lee in particular capturing the mannerisms and voice of Brian May convincingly.

There are problems though, particularly if you are familiar with the band's discography. "Fat Bottomed Girls" is shown being performed on their first, and apparently headlining, tour of the US. This despite that first American tour occurring in 1974 to support Mott The Hoople and the song not appearing until 1978's "Jazz".

Most egregious is the portrayal of the band's 'break up' and subsequent reformation for Live Aid. Given that the band headlined Rock in Rio, (which is also shown happening in the mid '70's, not 1985), in January of the same year as the charity mega-gig, the portrayal of them needing to learn to play together again is laughable. I know it is true that Queen approached their preparation for Live Aid more seriously than some other acts, (cough, Led Zeppelin, cough), but it seems that quite a few liberties have been taken with the narrative.

If you didn't know better you'd think that Live Aid marked the end of the band, whereas actually the reaction to their performance spurred them on. I understand the need for dramatic framing and I feel that the less you know of the band's history the less these, and other, inaccuracies will bother you.

Enough with the negatives. As I mention above, the main performance of Rami Malik holds everything together. There is much to enjoy here, and as I said to Mrs PowderfingerSpeaks when we saw the trailer before " A Star Is Born", (review here), 'it doesn't matter whether "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a great film, it'll have the best soundtrack of the year'.

These songs are just too good to keep down. There is a reason Queen's "Greatest Hits" is the best selling album in UK history . Whilst there are maybe too many, as noted critic Mark Kermode calls them, "chubby, hmmm...." moments,(this refers to the moment in the "Karen Carpenter Story" when someone describes Karen as 'chubby' which is then seen to be the root of all her subsequent struggles), when it comes to those greatest hits taking shape, the sheer joy of hearing these songs again takes you along for the ride.

The undoubted highlight, as well as the climax of the film, is the full Live Aid performance. Thanks to modern technology we are able to experience a level of fidelity and immersion that just wasn't possible in 1985. A fitting tribute to a great band and the greatest front man in rock music.

In summary, much like Queen themselves, I suspect this film will be loved far more by the public than the critics and a great central performance elevates a mixed film to one that is highly enjoyable.

If you haven't seen it, do so, as unless you cannot stand the music of Queen you will enjoy the film.

More on why I think Freddie Mercury is rock's greatest front man here.

Comments

Eraserland by Strand Of Oaks - Album Review

A new album from Tim Showalter which, barring a final misstep, hits all the Americana, (and more), marks. This album is heartfelt, sleazy, uplifting, classic and referential all at the same time whilst still pointing forwards.

The beginning is inauspicious. "Weird Ways" starts out like a standard Ryan Adams ballad, but takes off halfway through in a way that reveals the pedigree of the other musicians on the album. After hearing this track I thought it sounded like the aforementioned Mr Adams playing with My Morning Jacket(MMJ). The reverb drenched sound kept rearing its head and a little research revealed that, minus main man Jim James, they were the backing musicians on the album . No wonder I kept hearing them! As a band who has produced much that I like this was a good thing.

After "Weird Ways" heads for the stars we stay there with "Hyperspace Blues" which is one for fans of Jason Pierce's Spiritualized, and sounds just as a song with that title s…

Songs To Die To - Part 3

Continuing a series about songs death and dying. These are not necessarily songs that talk about the process of dying, rather as the title suggests, songs that I could imagine listening to on my death bed, or taking as consolation during or after a funeral.

Morbid? I think not, as death is part of life. If we all talked about it a little more, maybe we'd cope with it better.

No 1: featuring "Land Of Hope & Dreams" by Bruce Springsteen here

No 2: featuring "Look On Down From The Bridge" by Mazzy Star here

With that said here's my next choice.

No 3: Gonna Be A Darkness - The Jayhawks

From their superb collection of songs that main man Gary Louris wrote with other artists, (full review here), comes this gem co-written with Jakob Dylan.

I love the extended musical introduction, starting with the mandolin, building with the bass and piano.It sets a lovely relaxed groove that hints at the sadness to come.
Louris and drummer Tim O'Reagan blend their voices beauti…

October New Music - Rockin' The Suburbs

Be sure to listen to the latest episode, 736, of Rockin' The Suburbs podcast to hear me talk about some of the new songs I enjoyed in October. You can listen here or via your usual podcast provider.

The songs I talk about, along with a little cricket, NFL & rugby are:

"Run Away" by Lightning Dust
"In Good Faith" by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
"Hard Times" by Whyte Horses featuring John Grant
"Favourite Boy" by Half Moon Run
"In The Air Tonight" by Lucy Dacus
Be sure to listen every day...........

Tuscaloosa by Neil Young & The Stray Gators - Album Review

Shakey's live archive releases continue apace, coming after the excellent "Songs For Judy", (full review here) and the even better "Roxy: Tonight's The Night Live", (full review here).

This time Neil treats us to excerpts from an Alabama show, (hence the title), from the 1973 tour previously documented on "Time Fades Away". Whilst a commercial success, the tour was fraught due to Young's grief over the drug-induced death of Danny Whitten that led to his masterpieces "Tonight's The Night" and "On The Beach", and his discomfort in translating his sound to the big arenas his success now found him playing. Neil has previously stated that "Time Fades Away" is his worst album. Those of us who have endured "Everybody's Rockin'" or "Landing On Water" might beg to differ....

Anyway another snapshot of that tour emerges here, and an altogether more lighter mood prevails. The autobiographical &…

Hello Sunshine by Bruce Springsteen - New Song Review

After the Broadway experience comes a new song, and my initial thoughts upon hearing it were not about this track specifically, but what it means for the upcoming "Western Stars" album in June. As Bruce has said, this is a different type of album, not a rocker but a 'return to sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements'.

My hope is that we are going to get Bruce's version of "Nashville Skyline", as the track has a laid back, country feel, with a rhythm that immediately evokes "Everybody's Talkin' ".

Another one of his early influences, the great Roy Orbison, also shines through, and as a defender of "Outlaw Pete" from "Magic", (more on that here), this can only be a good thing. His vocal has a country tinge and the pedal steel and strings complete the image.

Given his battles with depression, documented in his autobiography, the lines about "being too fond of the blues" and "loving the lonely place&q…

On The Line by Jenny Lewis - Album Review

Arriving with positive notices and an all-star supporting cast that includes a former Beatle in Ringo Starr, a former Heartbreaker in Benmont Tench along with renowned players like Jim Keltner, Don Was and produced by Ryan Adams it would be easy to dismiss such a description as too good to be true.
However, sometimes it is okay to believe the hype..
The 4th solo album from Jenny Lewis is an example of the old adage that misery makes for great art, and is another entry into the canon of great break-up albums.
It is crammed with catchy melodies, expert playing and excellent, if sometimes just a little too cool for school, songwriting. Right from the very start with "Heads Gonna Roll" the sweetness of the melodies is leavened with a perfectly judged dose of underlying menace and bitterness.
Mention has to be given to the Hammond solo from Benmont Tench on this track. The tone is deliciously fat and filthy in the best possible way.
"Wasted Youth" continues with a ridiculous…

Josh Rouse - Love In The Modern Age Review

I picked up Josh Rouse's latest album at the show reviewed earlier, purely on the strength of the new songs he'd debuted that night.

Firstly, the songs are almost uniformly great, and whilst some might complain at only 9 tracks on an album, less is sometimes more. "Leave 'em wanting more" is a good policy. I find it hard to accept, for example, that The Beatles "White Album", to pick a famous example, wouldn't have been improved by being cut to a single disc. A topic for another day perhaps?

Back to matters in hand. The album starts out with what is my favourite track from the set, "Salton Sea". It sets out the album's pop stylings and production, gated snare and prominent synths, occasional vocoder flourishes, etc. that continue throughout the album. With a nice build at the end to some instrumental guitar, it is a great start.

The tunes keep coming, with the title track, "Businessman", and "Women And The Wind" form…

PowderfingerSpeaks

Search This Blog