«Bohemian Rhapsody»

Cinema Wednesdays - Hélène Lavoyer

«It never ends! Six bloody minutes!
(Freddie): I pity your wife if you think six minutes is a long time.»

In 1970, Farrokh Bulsara, barely out of his twenties, planted himself in front of Brian May and Roger Taylor. Armed with his eccentric style, a half-farouche, half-pedantic attitude and the voice of a fallen angel, capable of piercing the densest silence and moving between low and high notes with disconcerting ease, «Freddie» convinced the members of the band. Smile and becomes their lead singer. Freddie soon suggests a new band name: QUEEN.

«We need something that pops, that people will remember.»

Generations to come would chant this name around the world, making it a hymn to the freedom to create and innovate. Bohemian Rhapsody, directed (in part) by Bryan Singer and written by Anthony McCarten, takes us on a quest to uncover the band's secrets, with Freddie Mercury at the center of attention. His trials and tribulations, Bohemian Rhapsody touches it without really diving in.

Moral paradoxes

Many derogatory remarks have been made about Bohemian Rhapsody, from all sides of the film critics« world. Among them, many are relevant and important to highlight, such as the extreme attention paid to the band's family aspect, or the »derivative" and mercantile aspect of the film. Real blame was heaped on Brian May and Roger Taylor:

«Since Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, the two men have done everything in their power to revive the band through re-releases, new songs, reformations and countless tours with Paul Rodgers (2005-2009) and Adam Lambert (2012 to date), unlikely featuring and merchandising (notably Bohemian Lager beer, released in 2015).» Les Inrocks

This rather ethical aspect, which only makes sense in the light of the respect paid to the names of QUEEN and Freddie Mercury, does indeed need to be highlighted. It seems to us, however, that the intention behind the project's success cannot be judged from such a clear-cut and harsh point of view. Is this desire to make a profit, while neither honorable nor to be encouraged, not the norm today? Can we devalue a successful film on the basis of its underlying intentions?

Rami Malek, unanimous decision

His performance will go down in history. Thirty-seven-year-old Rami Malek takes on the role of Freddie Mercury with welcome sass. In his performance, the hesitancy and shyness of a boy who has suffered mockery and rejection at different times in his life and for different reasons - be it his looks or his uncertain origins - goes hand in hand with the phenomenal, extravagant part of the character that Farrokh Bulsara had tailor-made for himself.

Critics are rightly unanimous about Rami Malek's performance. What energy, what disinhibition, what disdain for other people's opinions does it take to play a man like Freddie Mercury? If there was only one thing that could lift this film out of a jumble of negative reviews, it would be the acting of the former Mr. Robot, and it would be enough to raise the word to praise.

Biography

Freddie's crucial love affair with Mary Austin is revealed in the background, intimate, gentle, understanding and, above all, eternal. For despite Mercury's homosexuality, she will remain «the love of his life» forever, a pillar that will also be the electroshock that brings him back to reason as he loses himself in the meanders of his being, which he struggles to tame, understand and love.

If the story of Bohemian Rhapsody is that of a man, Freddie Mercury, it is also that of a band. After some research and verification, it appears that the biographical work - for Freddie's story as much as for QUEEN's - is of the highest quality. The advantage, no doubt, of having access to former members of the band who are still active. Not to be underestimated either, a welcome sense of humor repeatedly draws laughter from the audience.

Bohemian Rhapsody doesn't shy away from criticism, nor is it a perfect reproduction of reality between 1970 and 1985. But the feature film, as Rami Malek put it, «is a great story. You discover how the songs were created and ultimately brought to the stage... and when you watch, it's almost as if you were there... Mercury had an incredible life, and the film tries to recreate it as accurately as possible, in a two-hour journey.»

A journey, that's what Bohemian Rhapsody. Two hours of emotions in all rhythms, from the most frenetic to the most peaceful, making us want to shout with Freddie about the unheard-of in life.

Write to the author : helene.lavoyer@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © 20th Century Fox