
Top Creative and Best Musical Biopics: From Freddie Mercury to Lego Pharrell Williams
Musical biopics have long been a staple of Hollywood, offering fans a chance to relive the stories of their favourite icons, from humble beginnings to worldwide fame and offering actors almost guaranteed Academy Award consideration. Yet, with so many stories being told, it can sometimes feel like we’ve seen it all before. But some films have managed to break the mould and step away from the traditional formula to offer fresh, creative takes on the genre. Whether through singing chimps, creative reimaginings of historical events, or Lego, recent musical biopics are proving that there’s still room for innovation in familiar territory. Let’s look at some of the films that have pushed those boundaries (and some that are just great as they are).
Better Man
A movie starring a singing chimpanzee might sound like a weird idea, and Better Man caused quite the stir on the internet because of it. This film tells the story of a massively famous pop star—one of the best-selling artists of all time, with multiple #1 albums and for 17 years, the record for most concert tickets sold in a single day (until Taylor Swift came along and broke it). Yet the most common comment on social media has been: “Who is this?”
Robbie Williams: the former Take That member who transformed into one of the UK's biggest solo acts ever. His success followed him around Europe, Australia, and beyond, but cracked the U.S.? Not so much. Hence, Better Man struggled to make waves at the American box office, with audiences scratching their heads over why they should care—and why a chimpanzee was involved.
But Better Man is far more than just a movie with an odd marketing twist. It’s bold, raw, and real. From his meteoric rise as a young pop sensation to the battles with addiction, anxiety, and depression, Better Man doesn’t hold back on the struggles of being young and famous. The music sequences, directed by Michael Gracey (director of The Greatest Showman), blend big, sweeping sets with dance numbers that make it feel much more like your favourite musical as opposed to just a biopic. The chimp serves as a metaphor for how Williams sees himself: as a "performing monkey" and being stuck in a never-ending cycle of self-doubt. It also represents William’s sense of being “less evolved” and stuck in the circus of show business. He is not actually a chimp though. Nobody reacts to him as a chimp. It is simply a visual representation. Better Man has earned an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects so despite the discourse, something clearly worked.
Bohemian Rhapsody
If you’ve seen Bohemian Rhapsody, then you’ve seen Rami Malek absolutely dazzle in the role of Freddie Mercury, fake teeth and all. Rami Malek’s Oscar-winning performance as the ever-beloved frontman of Queen in the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time has become a benchmark of the genre. From the moment Malek steps onto the screen, you're hooked by the infectious energy of Freddie's larger-than-life persona.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a rollercoaster of Freddie’s rise from his humble beginnings to becoming the flamboyant, fearless rock legend we all know and love. From his immigrant background, his sexuality, his battle with AIDS to his triumph as one of the biggest musical icons of all time. But make no mistake, this is not a documentary. It’s a biopic, sure—but it's also a movie, and movies need structure, suspense, drama and payoffs, and so creative liberties with Freddie’s story are taken, bending the facts to fit the narrative. So if you’re looking for the nitty-gritty of the unapologetic R-rated rockstar life of sex, drugs and rock and roll, this isn’t it. Despite the inaccuracies however, Bohemian Rhapsody is a good time.
If you’re a fan of Queen, you’ll be tapping your feet and singing along. David Ehrlich from IndieWire said that this is a film “where the legend is always prioritized over the truth,” and you can view that negatively but this film really is just a celebration of one of the greatest musicians, and one of the greatest bands of all time.
Walk the Line
Walk the Line takes audiences on a powerful journey through the life of the iconic country singer Johnny Cash. Directed by James Mangold (who is also responsible for the recent Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown as well as the Wolverine swan song Logan), Walk the Line chronicles Cash’s rise from a troubled childhood to his struggles with addiction, fame, and his complex relationship with his second wife, fellow country singer and five-time Grammy winner June Carter. With an Oscar-nominated performance by Joaquin Phoenix as Cash, and Reese Witherspoon winning an Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter, Walk the Line is a biopic standard-barer and a heartfelt exploration of love, redemption, and the personal demons that shaped one of the greatest musicians of all time.
The film captures the raw intensity of Cash’s journey, from his battle with addiction to his turbulent relationships, and the music that ultimately saved him. It sounds pretty standard as far as biopics go, but Phoenix’s portrayal of Cash is mesmerising; channeling the brooding spirit of Cash and also doing his own singing on Cash’s songs. Witherspoon as June Carter brings magnetic on-screen chemistry with Phoenix that drives the emotional core of the film.
Walk the Line doesn’t shy away from showing the darkest moments of Cash’s life, but it’s ultimately a story of redemption, love, and the power of music. With stunning performances, a captivating story, and a soundtrack that will have you tapping your feet, Walk the Line really is a timeless tribute to Johnny Cash’s legacy.
A Complete Unknown
Taking a slightly different approach to the formulaic musical biopic, the Bob Dylan-focused A Complete Unknown takes place between over only five years of the artist’s career between 1961 and 1966. Based on the book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald, the focus is on Dylan’s shift from folk the music- that kickstarted his career- to his use of electric instruments and the pressure that he faced from external expectations. As Bob Dylan, Timothee Chalamet shines as he has a number of times over the past few years as Hollywood’s latest case of “this guy is literally everywhere.”
In a lot of ways, A Complete Unknown is a cautionary tale about fame with Bob Dylan as the centrepiece, as opposed to a biopic about Bob Dylan, although it is that too. But it isn’t your typical humble beginnings, sky-rocket to fame followed by the standard “sex, drugs and rock and roll”, it’s deeper and more nuanced than that. It’s more a conversational piece than a life story, portraying a pivotal moment in Dylan’s career, reflecting on how fame can shape an artist’s identity—making it a more reflective, less traditional take on the biopic format.
This isn’t the first Bob Dylan biopic, with 2007’s I’m Not There taking a far more artistic approach with six actors including Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger embodying different aspects of Dylan’s life. None of them are called Bob Dylan but some of them do share names with historical figures, although they aren’t those figures; some of them are entirely fictional. Both biopics are worth a watch.
Piece by Piece
Talk about creative biopics! If you thought that this was a Lego Movie spin-off (because I sure did), it’s not. It’s a movie about the life of Pharrell Willams. When talking about biopics that abandon literal representation with physical actors and traditional storytelling in favour of being a bit more interesting, this may just take the cake. If people were confused by a biopic with a singing chimpanzee, try full-blown Lego.
In the same vein and perhaps unsurprisingly, this movie bombed at the box office, but has very good reviews with 83% of Rotton Tomatoes. When it came to the Lego, Williams took particular care to ensure that his friends, family and collaborators were presented as true to life as Lego can be. He stated “We needed people to look at this film and feel the universality—that you all belong in this world too.” Though it may not have been a commercial hit, Piece by Piece is a testament to Williams’ boundary-pushing creativity. By using Lego, Williams captures the joy and universal appeal of music in a way that appeals to all ages.
But why Lego? Simply, Williams is a fan and wanted his story to be told in a fun way that is accessible to younger audiences. Because of its unconventional approach, it may not be an immediate hit with audiences even if they’re fans of Williams’ music, but like Better Man, this may find its audience on the small screen and become a cult favourite down the line. The film also features the voices and mini blocky likenesses of Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and more!
Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton isn’t just a musical biopic—it became a cultural phenomenon. Directed by F. Gary Gray, the film chronicles the rise of N.W.A, the revolutionary hip-hop group that forever changed the music industry. From their defiant lyrics to their battles with law enforcement, the movie dives deep into the social and political landscape of the late '80s, showing how Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and the rest of the group used their music to speak out against injustice and challenge the system. It’s a raw and unapologetic look at the power of hip-hop and how music can act as a voice for the voiceless.
What sets Straight Outta Compton apart is its authenticity. The performances are excellent, with O’Shea Jackson Jr. as his father, Ice Cube, whose portrayal feels like watching the real deal. The film nails the group’s chemistry and the passionate drive that fueled their rise to fame. It’s not just about the music—it’s about the impact their songs had.
While the film takes some expected creative liberties with the timeline and certain events, it succeeds in capturing the essence of N.W.A.’s legacy. Straight Outta Compton is a celebration of their influence, a reminder of their struggles, and a testament to how their music changed the world, making it an essential chapter in the story of hip-hop.
While biopics will always have their place in cinema, it's the ones that step outside the box and embrace creativity and expression that continue to resonate long after the credits roll. From bold visual choices, nuanced portrayals, or unconventional approaches to storytelling, these films remind us that there’s always more to discover. In the ever-evolving world of film, it's nice to see musical biopics becoming fresh again. Tell us if these movies resonated with you, and which others you would add!
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