Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
Feb 24, 2025
Table of Contents
By adding its uniquely fun monkey-shaped twist to the Biopic genre, Robbie Williams’ ‘Better Man’ is changing the way Biopics are perceived and experienced.
From being a member of the famed Mancunian Pop group Take That to being one of the biggest international pop superstars of the 21st century. Robbie Williams has formed a legacy where both success and strugglers have had profound protagonism. It was just a matter of time before his story reached the international big screen.
‘Better Man’ introduces the famed star to a new generation. Starring Jonno Davies as Robbie Williams in his chimpanzee form, Steve Pemberton as Robbie’s father Peter Williams, and Kate Mulvany as his wife Janet Williams. The film also features Robbie Williams himself as the narrator and provides his voice for the piece’s musical numbers.
From his severe addictions to multiple drugs to dealing with depression and suicidal tendencies, Robbie Williams’s chaotic life has been filled with struggles and personal demons. While ‘Better Man’, like most biopics, takes some creative liberties when portraying Robbie’s real life, it does a pretty good job of transposing his mental health and compulsive struggles to the big screen.
Robbie has openly discussed his life struggles multiple times during his career including in his 2023 Netflix docuseries, but ‘Better Man’ dives deeper into the reasons of these became so all-consuming. I believe that the centering in those life moments that were significant in the singer-songwriter’s life felt more impactful, allowing it to create a more rounded narrative without cluttering it.
The film holds multiple powerful messages, from never giving up on one’s dreams to the deeply rooted desire for love and belonging. These remind viewers about the destructive power of fame and the extent to which one can be their own worst critic. It shows us how far down self-hate can bring us, dragging even the brightest souls into darkness and making the climb back to self-acceptance feel almost impossible.
Famously, the life of Robbie Williams has been quite crazy to the point of earning a reputation for re-embracing the unconventional, so it makes complete sense for him to choose a monkey as the star of his film. Surprisingly, this CGI Chimpanzee allows Robbie’s character and story to hit more profoundly, making the brighter moments feel magical and the low ones feel heartbreakingly painful while somehow still making it feel more Human-like.
One captivating thing that maintains the audience’s attention, even when it’s not the focal point of the scenes, is the monkey’s costume designs which are heavily based on Robbie William’s actual iconic wardrobes throughout his career. Despite the chimp’s design remaining somewhat constant, his wardrobe drastically changed as Robbie kept evolving. These show what else would be just a random monkey a more solid character evolution.
This decision allowed the piece to have a subtle, yet perfectly balanced comedy flair that is seeing a monkey snort cocaine. This is perfectly fitting with Robbie William’s personality and humor, astonishingly capturing his unique charm and unpredictable spirit and giving more authenticity to the piece.
As clearly seen with the Academy Award-nominated film ‘A Complete Unknown’, the Biopic Genre holds its fair share of artistic masterpieces. Whether it is the gorgeous portrayal of the vast landscapes of India as seen in 1982’s ‘Gandhi’ or the astonishing portrayal of the Live Aid crowd in 2018’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, biopics have shown countless amounts of artistry, and ‘Better Man’ isn’t an exception.
The film greatly plays with imagery and allegory, using masterfully beautiful sequences to physicalize Robbie’s thoughts and state of mind. This allows for a better understanding of the Protagonist’s perspective, maintaining the story grounded in realism. The songs were perfectly chosen, using it to express how Robbie feels at a specific moment rather than being pure performances or background music like seen in other films of the kind. The editing felt on point sneaking flash-forwards and flashbacks into the present-day scenes, this contrasts with the crazy-filled path that is Robbie Williams’s career.
Yet, each scene is shot beautifully. Whether it is the beautifully detailed choreography featured during the musical moments or one of the deeply emotional scenes, ‘Better Man’s use of lighting and camera angles manages to portray a profound sense of vulnerability and intimacy this allows it to capture moments from more creative perspectives that let the story to feel more personal, more human.
While Robbie William’s story may be crazily insane and ‘Better Man’ may just be a way to make that story more entertaining, we can still use it to inspire. Throughout his life, Robbie has shown inconceivable amounts of resilience and unwavering determination in the face of adversity, reminding audiences that famous people that we idolize are as equally human as the rest of us.
With ‘Better Man’, Robbie William lets us dive deep into his psyche across his career, giving us a peek at how struggling his life truly was to him. It doesn’t just merely act as a creative recapitulation of his tremulous career and fame—it is an invitation to the superstar’s mind’s raw, unadulterated mess. The film strips away the polished exterior of celebrity, exposing the turmoil, the self-doubt, and the relentless pursuit of meaning beneath. It acts as a visceral experience, allowing us to witness his journey not just as an artist, but as a deeply conflicted human being, navigating his own battles with fame, addiction, and identity.
By Mario Martinez Ignacio
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
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