When films like La Bamba or Walk the Line release, fans of that genre of music are overwhelmed with nostalgia and excitement to witness a film about their favorite artist. When a Johnny Cash biopic was released, country fans and maybe a few others were willing to see it. However, when Bohemian Rhapsody was announced, a movie about Freddie Mercury, lead singer of one of the biggest bands in history, Queen, the internet blew up. There were a lot of expectations for the film, and it had a lot to deliver. Rami Malek was casted to do Queen’s lead singer justice, the movie needed to do the band’s history justice, and the story needed to do the LGBT community justice. So did Bohemian Rhapsody deliver?
Rami Malek killed it with his performance as the enigmatic rockstar, Freddie Mercury. His dedication, research, and immersion into the role are praiseworthy enough, not to mention how he captured the essence of Mercury. Proof of how well he played comes from former band member Brian May, who when asked about Rami Malek’s performance replied, “Thank God.” The overall cast gave an exceptional performances, especially Lucy Boynton, who gave a stellar yet overlooked performance as Mary Austin, Mercury’s ex-wife, long term friend, and companion.
However, while the cast gave noteworthy performances, the film itself was underwhelming. The film had a lot to juggle; Freddie Mercury’s lifestyle, his love life, the band, and his complicated relationship with his family. This forced the film to gloss over some of his best moments, instead of opting for fictional storylines and misplacement of events. To fans and critics, the presentation of the aids diagnosis before the Live Aid concert was the biggest cheat, as it created a resolution within the band that did not exist. This proves that the filmmakers were not ready for reality, which would have showcased the hardships of being a homosexual musician. This would have made for a much better story. The LGBT factor was definitely there, but the film failed to highlight how difficult it was, making every character accept that part of him to make way for more nostalgia filled songs. That is really all the story was, nostalgia.
Despite this, the more still has clever dialogue, great acting, and beautiful recreations of live performances from Queen’s past. I strongly recommend the film to fans. However, I am left wondering why the film won the Golden Globe for Best Drama.