Bohemian Rhapsody

seen on 29 October 2018

A film with a troubled production history looks at the life and career of Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, but it barely digs below the surface. Two surviving members of the band were executive music producers of the film; perhaps the desire to ensure wide circulation by having a '12A' classification (in Britain) prevented any chance of depicting Mercury's life style in anything but fairly anodyne terms. Brian Singer is credited as director, though actually Dexter Fletcher completed the job after Singer was sacked.

Nonetheless on its own terms it delivers the music in stomping good form, with convincing re-creations of various hits, and 'amalgamations' in the soundtrack (whatever that may mean). The film begins with Mercury (Rami Malek) walking on to the stage at Wembley for the Live Aid concert of 1985, then flashes back to the first meeting between him and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee). On the same evening (here) he meets Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) to whom he eventually becomes engaged, though their relationship founders as they have to come to terms with Freddie's sexuality.

Freddie is presented as sure of his artistic goals (or even cocksure) and because we know he reached them in the early days of the band, any sense of real struggle, or the emotional energy needed to achieve results, is largely dissipated. When the band splits in some acrimony, the blame seems to be on Freddie for choosing exploitative 'friends' to massage his ego; again, tensions are sketched and indicated rather than properly explored, and as an explanation of the highs and lows of Mercury's career, it is frankly inadequate.

In biopic style, the strands of Freddie's personal life and its demons, and his professional comeback, are resolved (the film would have us believe) by his finding a true companion, introducing him to his parents and sister, receiving a long-withheld paternal blessing, and performing at Live Aid, with an adoring and forgiving Mary and her new partner looking on together with his new partner, all on the same day. Emotionally satisfying in terms of a film's arc, perhaps, but only tolerable because the music - and the recreation of the Live Aid concert, with clever splicing of original footage - is so enjoyable to watch.

The six years between this pivotal event and Freddie Mercury's death are covered only by a 'what happened next' paragraph before the credits roll (over original Queen footage). 

Therefore, as a musical entertainment this is fine, with very creditable performances from all concerned, but as serious biography or even as a serious exploration of a musical phenomenon, it remains superficial.