Metacritic score: 73
Rocketman
The shiny, imaginative Elton John biopic is currently in theaters.
Alissa Wilkinson covered film and culture for Vox. Alissa is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics.
Any worthwhile movie about Elton John must be much, much larger than life. John has been a legend for decades — his songs are ubiquitous, his stage presence iconic. But Rocketman is smart enough to not try to outshine its star. It’s flashy because its spectacular subject is a lightsource all his own.
The film absolutely explodes with energy because Elton John is its pulse. It stumbles a few times — as has John — but on the whole, it’s a consistently good biopic and jukebox musical from start to finish, a movie rooted in a real story that nonetheless doesn’t tether itself too close to the ground.
Which is a bit of a relief. You don’t have to be a fan of Elton John’s music to know his music; even the most pop culture-oblivious person knows “Your Song,” and “Tiny Dancer,” and “Rocket Man.” And it’s easy, watching Taron Egerton play Elton John whipping a crowd into a frenzy, to understand his genius. Rocketman is a solid introduction to the singer that is also guaranteed to please his fans.
