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Better Man

Better Man is a 2024 biographical jukebox musical drama film directed by Michael Gracey and based on the life of English singer Robbie Williams.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Better Man is a 2024 biographical jukebox musical drama film directed by Michael Gracey and based on the life of English singer Robbie Williams. The film stars Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton and Alison Steadman, and depicts Williams as a CGI chimpanzee in a stylized retelling of his rise, fall and recovery. It received positive reviews but was a box-office bomb, grossing about $22.5 million worldwide.

Premise

Better Man is a stylized biographical film about Robbie Williams, covering his childhood, time in Take That, solo success and personal struggles. The film uses an anthropomorphic chimpanzee representation for Williams, a creative choice central to its identity.

Production

The film was directed by Michael Gracey from a screenplay by Gracey, Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole. It was produced as an international co-production across five countries: Australia, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Release

Better Man premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on 30 August 2024. It was released theatrically in the United States on 25 December 2024, and in the United Kingdom and Australia the following day. Its releases were handled by Paramount Pictures in the US, Entertainment Film Distributors in the UK and Roadshow Films in Australia. It also screened at the Toronto film festival circuit in 2024, giving it visibility in Canada.

Reception and awards

The film received generally positive reviews but performed poorly at the box office, grossing about $22.5 million worldwide and being described as a box-office bomb. It won nine AACTA Awards, including Best Film, and received Academy Award, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice and Visual Effects Society nominations for Best Visual Effects.

Key facts

  • The film premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on 30 August 2024.
  • Robbie Williams is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee using performance capture and CGI.
  • It grossed about $22.5 million worldwide and was described as a box-office bomb.
  • Better Man won nine AACTA Awards, including Best Film, and received major visual effects nominations.
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Canadian context

Better Man screened at the Toronto film festival circuit in 2024, giving it visibility in Canada among major international releases.[8]

Frequently asked questions

What is Better Man about?
It tells a stylized version of Robbie Williams’s life, including his early years, Take That fame, solo career and personal struggles.
Why is Robbie Williams portrayed as a chimpanzee?
The film uses a CGI chimpanzee as a metaphorical and visual device for Williams’s self-image and public persona.
Who directed Better Man?
Better Man was directed by Michael Gracey.
When was Better Man released?
It premiered in August 2024 and was released theatrically in late December 2024 in the US, UK and Australia.
Was Better Man successful at the box office?
No. Sources describe it as a box-office bomb, despite receiving positive reviews.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Man_(film)
    Supports: Basic film identification, director, cast, release dates, production countries, box office, awards
  2. Wikipédia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Man_(film)
    Supports: French-language details including runtime, production countries, and the chimpanzee portrayal
  3. Wikipedia — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Man_(pel%C3%ADcula)
    Supports: Biographical premise, chimpanzee depiction, budget, box office, awards nominations
  4. The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/11/better-man-movie-review
    Supports: Festival/release context and description of the film’s style and content