“ROCKET MAN”

This is a tale of two Elton John’s. If you’re going to see “Rocket Man” for Elton’s music, you’re in luck. There’s plenty of that. If you’re going to see what Elton’s life and career were actually like…that’s a little more difficult. Elton has said: “My life has not been dull. What I wanted to get across in this movie was the incredible price for fame, the incredible effect one’s upbringing has on you. How lonely it can be. It had to be as honest as possible. The lows were very low. The highs were very high… Unfortunately, there wasn’t much balance in between.”

“Rocket Man” rocketed into the number 3 spot its first week in release, bringing in over $25,000,000. The entire production budget was only 40 million, so it won’t take more than a few weeks to break even. “Rocket Man” is a musical fantasy based on Elton’s life, but some of the events didn’t happen as they appear in the movie or happened at different times. Elton’s half brother has said that he didn’t see the same indifferent (some might say cruel) side of their father that Elton did.

Nonetheless, if you’re an Elton fan…or even if you’re not, this is a movie well worth seeing. It clocks in at a minute over 2 hours, but that time zips by (for the most part). The Rotten Tomatoes website gives it a 91% rating.

Taron Egerton plays Reginald Kenneth Dwight from a shy piano prodigy as he blossoms and explodes as international musical superstar Elton John. Ironically, the Music Director for “Rocketman” is Giles Martin, whose father, the late George Martin produced The Beatles throughout their entire career. George also produced Elton’s multi-million selling tribute to the late Princess Diana, “Candle in The Wind”.

Elton Johns’ farewell tour arrives in Canada this fall with September and October dates in Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Toronto.

By: Doug Thompson