Rocketman (2019)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Elton John / Reginald Dwight	Taron Egerton
Bernie Taupin	Jamie Bell
John Reid	Richard Madden	½
Ivy, Elton's grandmother	Gemma Jones
Sheila Dwight	Bryce Dallas Howard
Dick James	Stephen Graham	½
Stanley Dwight	Steven Mackintosh
Doug Weston	Tate Donovan
Ray Williams	Charlie Rowe
Fred, Sheila's boyfriend	Tom Bennett

Review

This account of Elton John's life and music is a near perfect musical biopic in form, structure and execution. Written by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot, War Horse) and directed by Dexter Fletcher (the uncredited director who came in and completed Bohemian Rhapsody after Bryan Singer left the project), Rocketman runs like a tour de force in biographical storytelling interlaced with neatly integrated, beautiful renditions of some of the many gems from Elton John's catalogue of songs. Fletcher's real genius here are the elegant shifts between realistic, hard-hitting drama from Mr. John's many personal ups and downs, and the wonderful musical numbers, most of which take on a form of magic realism – without ever compromising the story or the characters. The balancing is remarkably skilful and the effect breathtaking. And Fletcher's tool for making it all possible is Taron Egerton's devoted performance in the title role. His fiery version of Mr. John is full of vigour and vulnerability. Egerton also sings all these songs himself, which is not only impressive, but also adds to the effect of the film as an independent work of art.