Fans crack nonstop jokes as Robbie Williams biopic ‘Better Man’ lands on Paramount+

Better Man, the latest attempt at turning a musician’s life into a cinematic masterpiece, has swung onto Paramount+—quite literally. This so-called biopic of British pop icon Robbie Williams, directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), takes a bold approach: replacing the singer with a CGI chimpanzee because a regular human actor wouldn’t do.

The internet had to roast this one out. Some demanded to know which Hollywood executive thought this was a good idea and if they still have a job (for now).

Others were simply left questioning reality itself: Who sat in a meeting and thought that a monkey would make a great biopic for a human?

A user (@BullzOverBearz) humorously mentioned:

"Whoever green-lit that movie… hope they were fired."

That person needs to be studied, not employed.

A user (@clarkejoseph49) mentioned:

"They didn’t need to put CGI on Robbie. They just didn’t need to."

Poking fun at Box Office numbers, a user (@ReevesBatverse) mentioned:

"This is what happens when you overestimate the beloved-ness of celebrities."

A user (@anotherarizonan) quipped:

"I'm so confused why anyone thought this was an appealing idea."

This is why we need more ‘No’ people in Hollywood.

One more user whilst poking fun at net earnings shared a snippet from the movie, writing:

"Wonder why."

A user (@LowkeyCozy) humorously pleaded:

"Please stop tryna make this movie happen 😂 nobody cares man"

Robbie Williams is watching this like ‘why me?’

Serving a roast, a user (@LP62O) went on to say:

"“oh finally, can’t wait to watch it” said nobody."

A user (@Reemler) joked:

"The average cinema goer must of thought the planet of the apes franchise has changed its tone."

Somebody at the studio mixed up the scripts.

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Robbie Williams biopic Better Man on Paramount+

Although critics have given it positive reviews with an impressive 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Better Man was not as successful at the box office, particularly in North America.

According to ScreenRant, the film pulled $18.3 million in international areas. The domestic gross was only $1.9 million.

The film is currently streaming on Paramount+ in 4K Ultra HD for subscribers.

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What is Better Man about?

Better Man begins with Robbie Williams' childhood in Stoke-on-Trent, where he finds solace in singing following humiliation at a football match.

His childhood is marked by his father's abandonment and problems with his mother, which created emotional and trust issues.

The movie narrates the story of Robbie's career as a Take That boyband member, his struggle with drug addiction and self-doubt, and his eventual split with the band to venture out independently.

Better Man weaves together Robbie Williams' most popular hits, including Feel, I Found Heaven, and Rock DJ, into action to commemorate pivotal points in his career.

The on-again, off-again romance between Williams and Nicole Appleton of All Saints is highlighted, with a romantic duet of She's the One against a serene backdrop.

Better Man is not your average biopic. It takes on the life of Robbie Williams in a splendid manner, with Williams himself appearing as a CGI chimpanzee.

This creative choice is reflective of Williams' self-image, in that he traditionally speaks of himself as being "less evolved" than the world at large.

Film director Michael Gracey made a concerted effort to present the film from Williams' point of view, catching his sense of humor and spirit and delving into the psychological aspects of his odyssey.

Gracey earlier told the BBC:

“There have been a lot of musical biopics. I wanted to come at this with a different lens.”

“Quite often Rob will say, 'I'm just like a performing monkey' or 'I'm up the back like a performing monkey.' It just sparked this idea of, ‘We've got this chance to tell this story, not from the perspective of how we see Rob, but how he sees himself.’”