Anyone can live the American dream – anyone but Robbie Williams, it seems. The pop star has trying to make it to the top of the American charts since the 90s. Unfortunately for the Rock DJ himself, Americans haven’t been all that receptive to his suave English style. Naturally, that calls for a biopic. To be a fly on the wall during the pitch meeting for Better Man must have been a wild ride. I’d love to know who thought that turning Robbie Williams into a CGI chimp was a good idea. Better Man sure “looks” different, but, sometimes, different isn’t the same as good. I mean, sure, no one’s going to get Better Man and Bohemian Rhapsody mixed up, but I doubt they would do that in the first place.
Everyone Is Talking About Robbie Williams’ Biopic
While other musicians like Pharrell Williams had some success with films like Piece by Piece – an animated biopic in the style of The LEGO Movie – Better Man ends up being confusing at best, mostly because you can tell that animating that CGI chimp Williams must not have been cheap.
There’s a reason why the chimp looks so good, though. The character model was created by Wētā FX, a New Zealand studio that’s also behind the groundbreaking simians at the heart of the latest Planet of the Apes saga. Yes, Robbie Williams is now officially part of the Planet of the Apes multiverse, apparently.
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What on Earth Is a CGI Chimp Doing in a Robbie Williams Movie?
The similarities between Better Man and Planet of the Apes immediately drew the attention of fans over at X. “Why the F is it called ‘Planet of the Apes’ when it’s literally just one ape and all he does is sing!?” commented @Sharkurricane on the social network.
Better Man has been a terrible flop for Paramount Pictures. With a reported budget of $110 million and a worldwide gross of just over $14 million, things aren’t looking great for this simian performer at the box office. Still, people are talking about Better Man. You know what they say about the Streisand Effect.
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Is Better Man the Next Cult Classic or Just Another Box Office Disaster?
Over on X, people are even praising some of the scenes in Better Man. “The Robbie Williams CGI monkey biopic has a better monkey battle scene than anything you’ve seen in a Planet of the Apes movie,” says @PM_Antunes. Without spoiling much, it is one hell of a fight scene.
It appears as if Better Man is destined to become a hidden gem that reviewers will revisit at some point. Considering how strange the whole premise is, this is exactly the kind of film like Phantom of the Paradise – a movie that amasses a small but dedicated group of followers that swear by the quality of a CGI chimp singing “Let Me Entertain You.”
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The Hidden Gem of 2025
Better Man is nowhere near as ambitious as your standard Planet of the Apes film. Heck, it’s not even as engrossing as something like Tim Burton’s take on the franchise. It is, however, one very interesting – and incredibly well-made – musical that’s worth a shot even if you’re not a Robbie Williams fan. Let’s be honest, though: if you’re an American, the phrase “Robbie Williams biopic” probably made you picture a behind-the-scenes look at Mork & Mindy instead. I still get them mixed up.
Tell us, do you think Robbie Williams’ Better Man will eventually become a classic?
