While the biopic genre is often quite hit or miss, with projects that seem to be made only to highlight a celebrity’s fame, Better Man, a film about U.K. pop star Robbie Williams, is an example of one that is trying its best to be a unique experience with an intense story to tell. Unfortunately for Better Man, its great reviews aren’t enough to save it from an abysmal box office performance. The movie has struggled immensely following its theatrical release, making only $1 million in its first weekend on a $110 million budget.

While biopics have never been enormous box office draws compared to the more mainstream Hollywood films, in recent years many of them have cropped up to become quite well-received, both by critics and audiences. While Better Man has fallen very short at the box office, Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown has done excellently when it comes to making money. The film’s box office woes are unjust, as, from the beginning to its ending, Better Man is absolutely something that everyone should try to see when it is on the big screen, for a mulтιтude of reasons.

Better Man’s Bold Decisions Make It More Exciting Than Most Biopics

Better Man Has No Interest Playing It Particularly Safe

Most biopics released these days, unfortunately, tend to be very cookie-cutter, simply telling a story that many people already know, with none of the extra personal details that would make one feel like a story worth telling. The main selling point is obviously the fact that Better Man portrays Robbie Williams as a CGI anthropomorphic chimpanzee, as opposed to some huge star that could potentially bring more people into theaters. This alone is a deeply creative choice that makes Better Man stand out among modern biopics, but thankfully, that isn’t the only thing the film has to offer.

Better Man Is The Type Of Cinematic Experience More Biopics Should Strive To Be

The Robbie Williams Film Is An Excellent Example Of What A Biopic Can Be

Most biopics live and die by their story: how well the film can both give audiences a look into the subject’s life as a whole, as well as how much they delve into whom the main character really is, providing a deeper look into people who tend to seem much larger than life. Better Man does have a solid story, but it isn’t anything too spectacular, definitely sitting as standard biopic fare. Where the film shines is in its presentation and style, which elevates the project much higher than many other formulaic movies.

Better Man has great songs, and thankfully, the performances of said songs, in terms of effects, blocking, and energy are fantastic, with plenty of moments that rival some of the best musical films. The electric energy present throughout the film, the unique visuals, and the great direction are all more than enough reasons to justify seeing it on the big screen. Hopefully, general audiences will soon realize that. Better Man is not only a great musical biopic, but it is also a great blueprint that future films in the genre will hopefully be able to emulate.