Review: Rocketman and How It's a Queer Cinema Breakthrough

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Honestly, I need this outfit in my life. Stars and dungarees!? 

I didn't know much about the film beforehand, so I walked in only seeing a bit of a trailer a while back, but I was so excited. I did not know it was a musical, but, after the first song, it felt right that the flamboyant and theatrical Elton John would have musical as his biopic.

And an amazing one at that. I am in awe, still, of Taron Egerton. His resemblance of the pop star is uncanny! I still am in disbelief that that was him singing and not Elton himself.

The film is well worth the watch, and I will actually give it 10/10 stars. I would, if I could, go see it again. It follows the rise of Elton John, so if anyone had any issues with making a biopic of a still-standing man, then don't worry, the film focuses on his rise to stardom and his personal issues that almost killed him with drugs, sex addiction and bulimia.

You may have guessed it has a happy ending, one we all hoped for for this icon, but that doesn't mean you're not on the edge of your seat, desperate that someone will help Elton get better, seeing as the singer was so close to death for so many years.

It's hard to think of what I didn't like. It was colourful, real, and sentimental. The editor had a good time, I can tell you, but it wasn't too over the top.

I loved the scene where Elton sits down with the lyrics of Your Song that Bernie Taupin had just handed him. We all know how famous that song is, but it's this moment we see a glimpse of how it came to be and how sweetly Elton sings it to his best friend. That scene was powerful. Along with the scenes during his rise to fame, watching Elton put a mask on to perform, when it was actually all getting to him; his unhealthy relationship, his relationship with his mum and dad and all the addictions he'd accumalated with fame.

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There were only a few moments I disliked about the film. The beginning was dramatic and I loved it, but there's a moment after that that felt a little bit cheesey, the same with a moment before the end. But I regard it as a therepeutic moment for the now Elton John, who was Executive Producer, as I felt so strange watching this man confront his own demons, when the real Elton John would have been watching too.

With a film about a gay icon, you bet there's going to be scenes important to me and the rest of the gay community watching it. Firstly, I'd like to point out how they kept in the gay sex scene and how they had directed it. The entire scene isn't graphic or distasteful, it was sweet and vulnerable. It was realistic in the way you see them both quickly struggle to take off their shoes and jeans, which is a struggle I'm sure most of us know well.

By including a  scene like this it normalises it. Some people are fine with gay people, but don't want to see it. Which basically could be anything from an on-screen kiss on the TV or a gay couple holding hands down the street. The more exposure to us out there, the more at home we feel in such a straight world. We get a sex scene just like the straights get in every single film! Which is a huge deal considering we haven't had that for a mainstream blockbuster like this. It will be rated-r, which means the film loses out on being shown in China, but I'm forever thankful they took that leap, that most films don't when it comes to the portrayal of queer relationships. In fact, even Bohemian Rhapsody didn't go there, and Mercury is also a gay icon.

The ending credits are also important, telling everyone how Elton is sober, has met the love of his life, but has also raised $300 million for his AIDs Foundation he set up not long after rehab.

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Everyone, and I repeat, everyone, needs to see this film immediately. I don't think I have to tell people to, but in case you thought about waiting till DVD, no. This movie deserves a big screen, let it have that for the first time. You never forget your first.

Another thing is, the more hype a queer film gets, the more Hollywood are likely to make more movies on the LGBTQ community.


More on Rocketman:
https://people.com/movies/elton-john-wanted-drugs-sex-in-rocketman/
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/may/26/elton-john-in-my-own-words-exclusive-my-life-and-making-rocketman
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a27586678/rocketman-matthew-vaughn-straight-washing-bohemian-rhapsody-comparisons/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7041385/Rocketman-star-Taron-Egerton-claims-Elton-John-biopic-different-animal-Bohemian-Rhapsody.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/9150653/rocketman-exposes-hollywood-hypocrisy-gay-rights/