USA TODAY International Edition
‘Rhapsody’ is a bit too common to capture Queen
Malek up to speed, but storytelling dulls glitter
Rami Malek stands out as frontman Freddie Mercury but the rest of the film is a by-the-numbers biopic.
In “Bohemian Rhapsody” the movie, there’s a sequence in which the screen is peppered with all the harsh words that critics had back in the day for “Bohemian Rhapsody” the song, ending with “perfectly adequate.” That’s the kindest thing you can say about the new Queen biopic rated PG-13; in theaters nationwide Nov. 2), and the most damning. Other than a solid job by Rami Malek (“Mr. Robot”) as magnetic frontman Freddie Mercury, a few exciting musical sequences and a couple of moments of actual greatness, the film is mostly a paint-by-numbers behind-the-music journey through the ups and downs of the iconoclastic British rock band. “Rhapsody” maps Queen’s story from the group’s beginnings in the early 1970s through its epic showstealing set at 1985’s Live Aid. Before he was a rock god, Mercury was working as an airport baggage handler when he met guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) the same night their lead singer quit. “Do you play bass?” they ask. “Nope,” Mercury states unequivocally. His flamboyant stage presence and stellar singing quickly win over crowds as well as fashionista Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), who becomes Mercury’s best friend and lover. At home, though, he’s just Parsi immigrant Farrokh Bulsara. The rock-star persona doesn’t go over as well with his traditionalist father (Ace Bhatti), who preaches “Good thoughts, good words, good deeds” over preening with a microphone. With the addition of bass player John Deacon (Joe Mazzello), the band captures the world’s imagination with songs like “Keep Yourself Alive” and “Killer Queen.” When the operatic “Bohemian Rhapsody” comes around in 1975, Queen’s musicianship and brotherhood are tested in the film’s best sequence, where they experiment to create their dynamic number and then have to sell a record label executive (Mike Myers) on it. (“Wayne’s World” faithful will appreciate one quippy line.) Directed by Bryan Singer (who was fired three weeks before production ended, with Dexter Fletcher finishing up), “Rhapsody” makes some puzzling storytelling decisions, chiefly in how it deals with Mercury’s homosexuality. Because it’s probably unknown to many casual fans, his romance with Austin takes up a disproportionately large chunk of the movie. There’s no indication he’s gay until well into the film, when he checks out a guy going into his bathroom, and even after they break up, she remains an object of his affections. Personal manager Paul Prenter (Allen Leech) gets close to Mercury but is a poison within the band, and ultimately Freddie’s relationship with Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker) is a stabilizing force – a needed one after he’s diagnosed with AIDS. (Mercury died in 1991 at age 45.) Malek nails Mercury’s strutting demeanor and catsuit-clad look, and while the fake teeth (mimicking the legend’s signature overbite) do half the job, his is a standout performance rather than karaoke impression. (To capture Mercury’s quintessential vocals, Queen recordings were used, as well as a soundalike and Malek himself.) He doesn’t have Mercury’s unmistakable energy and swagger, but then, who does? Not helping matters is archival footage of the real Mercury completely owning “Don’t Stop Me Now” as the credits roll, a bittersweet reminder that he was one of a kind. Because it digs into Queen’s greatest hits, “Rhapsody” has an absolutely killer soundtrack, and Malek and his screen bandmates keep those musical asides decently watchable, culminating with a rather lengthy time on the Live Aid stage. In any other year, the performances might be memorable, but they pale in comparison to the jams of that other musical in theaters right now, “A Star Is Born.” As it turns out, “Bohemian Rhapsody” the song is a sonic masterpiece and “Bohemian Rhapsody” the movie is just a conventional rock flick, one all too ordinary for a man and a band that exemplified the extraordinary.