Elton John

(Amazon Streaming, December 2020) I’m not a big Elton John fan, but I’m marginally more of a fan now that I’ve seen the flamboyant jukebox biopic Rocketman. The narrative arc will be familiar, tracking how a shy, self-effacing boy gradually transforms into an exuberant performer, falls prey to addiction, and then gradually climbs back to sobriety while remaining a pop icon. A picture of its time, Rocketman doesn’t shy away from discussing the singer’s homosexuality – and even throws in what’s marketed as “the first film by a major studio to include a gay male sex scene.” The jukebox underscoring all of this, fortunately, is very broad and memorable: Even casual fans will recognize something like a dozen songs, so thoroughly has John’s music permeated half a dozen decades. In the hands of director Dexter Fletcher, Rocketman is a colourful, fast-paced and easy-to-watch homage. The style arguably elbows the substance out of the way, resulting in a sketchier portrait of the person when put against the music and fashion. Still, Taron Egerton does surprisingly well as the singer, and the film almost manages to become an old-fashioned movie musical with its emphasis on impressionistic musical numbers. There’s a formula at play in Rocketman, clearly, but it is very well executed. Watch it once, listen to it twice or more.