manschelde-1

Rocketman review 6/10 rating

having been an avid consumer of Elton's work and concerts since my teenage years, I was disappointed by this movie.

It seems a waste of such great melodies and pleasing lyrics to jumble them up, dice and splice them and liberally dot fragments throughout the movie, sometimes the lead actors singing, other times crowds of extras singing. I feel that the substantial body of work from EJ/BT needs to be treated with greater respect.

It may be 'arty' to tell the story in this fashion, but did not move me emotionally, left me cold and unimpressed despite some technically lovely renditions.

Despite that, the performances of the leads feel real and credible, and the performances of grandmother, mother etc are all relatable.

So there are very good aspects to this film, but the overall approach did not work for me.

Only six forty-five minute episodes, so it is easy to watch.

It kept me interested, kept me guessing until the end.

The acting seems somewhat wooden at times. Direction is zippy enough.

The series would have worked just as well had the dialogue been in English, although sub-titles would probably still be needed for many to understand the accents.

The plot is somewhat laboured, with a somewhat improbable end that I did not guess, although there are faint clues.

The bleak scenic coastline and langscapes of Donegal adds atmosphere and interest.

The wardrobe budget must have been small, the Dónall Ó Héalai gets a single pair of trousers! But he goes get some lovely wool sweaters :-)