Bohemian Rhapsody

Rating: 4/5

Bohemian Rhapsody; a movie I enjoyed more for its' performances rather than the cinematography, but a well made tribute film nonetheless.

Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) knows that he is meant for something more than working at Heathrow Airport, but he hasn't been able to find a chance to escape his mundane life. One night, he goes to a club to see a band called Smile, only to discover that after the show, the group's lead singer has just quit the band. Freddie quickly tells the remaining members of his talent, but they aren't quick to believe him, that is until he sings.

Flash forward a year, and and Freddie and his band Queen have found moderate success around England, but when a new music manager gets ahold of their demo, the band's fame quickly increases. From that point on, Queen becomes a huge name around the world, and Freddie's personal life becomes flashier and wilder by the day. Fame impacts everyone differently, and it becomes clear to the other members of the band, especially Brian May (Gwilym Lee), that Freddie's lifestyle is not healthy for the group or for their lead singer's own personal health.

The acting in Bohemian Rhapsody far out weighs the skill of the rest of the film. The cast that make up Queen are excellent, making it incredibly easy to buy into the fact that they are the real group. Their passion for their music and the well being of their band mates are easily the best parts of the film and the moments that I found to be the most emotionally believable and genuine.

Of the performances that go along with an average biopic, the obvious stand out would be the role of Freddie played by Rami Malek. He disappears into the character, and the film would not have been anywhere near as impressive had he not been cast as the lead. His performance was well deserving of his Oscar win, even if the movie gave him a script that was a whirlwind rush through Freddie Mercury's life. My second favorite role was that of the guitar player, Brian May. He was clearly Freddie's moral compass, and seeing his connection with Malek's performance makes for some of the best scenes in the film.

The climax of Bohemian Rhapsody is hands down the movie's shining moment. It is not spoiling anything by saying Queen performed at Live Aid, and what the film excelled at, was giving this moment in Queen's history the longevity and respect it deserved. I am so pleased that they dedicated so much run time to that piece of the band's legacy. It is what really solidified my opinion on the excellence of the cast, but also gave me a better overall view of the film in general.

Even if I felt that Bohemian Rhapsody sped through the history and events leading up to Live Aid and tiptoed around any potentially gritty aspects of their lives, it was still a perfectly adequate biopic. I can't say that I am disappointed it didn't win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, as I don't feel it deserved the title, but the awards it did win were certainly well deserved.

2019 Winner Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Rami Malek

2019 Winner Best Achievement in Film Editing - John Ottman

2019 Winner Best Achievement in Sound Editing - John Warhurst & Nina Hartstone

2019 Winner Best Achievement in Sound Mixing- Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin, & John Casali