Bohemian Rhapsody

— Queen’s music saves this film from being too long and too uninspired. Beginning with Queen’s standout performance at Live Aid 1985, it quickly jumps back to 1970 when Freddie Mercury is just becoming the lead singer in a band renamed “Queen.” The film dutifully takes us from that beginning to their later success, trying to focus on Mercury’s relationships with his family, his fellow band members, his wife, and his business associates, as he deals with his sexuality and growing fame. Unfortunately, the script needed another re-write or two and the scriptwriter needed to infuse a bit of sensuality in the film about a singer whose sensuality was part of his appeal. As it is, the film’s just dull and that’s hard to believe given how interesting Mercury’s public persona was. Luckily, the music infuses the film in large doses and it has the rhythm and enthusiasm the rest of the film lacks.

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[2018. 134 min. Directed by Bryan Singer. Starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, and Ben Hardy.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bohemian-rhapsody-2018