Whenever Hollywood decides to take on the challenge of biographing the life of an icon, there are sure to be some hot takes and strong opinions. The new Queen biopic, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” has had its fair share of poor reviews, but don’t let that stop you from seeing this film. Whether you are diehard fan of Queen or only know a couple songs and that it’s the band Freddie Mercury fronted, this movie is for you. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is beautifully acted and handles the story of Queen and Mercury’s life in a sensitive and moving way.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” starts with Queen’s formation outside of a London pub, and follows them through their 1985 performance at Live Aid. The film showcases the entire band’s path to stardom, with Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee and Joseph Mazzello playing drummer Roger Taylor, guitarist Brian May and bassist John Deacon, respectively, but the film places heavy focus on Mercury, played by Rami Malek, and his personal life.
When Malek was initially cast as Mercury, those who were not already fans of Malek were skeptical about his ability to portray such a legendary man. Would anyone ever be able to live up the icon that was Freddie Mercury? Well, Malek has done what many deemed impossible. While costuming and hair can do a lot, Malek brought something that came from within to his performance. From every step, to every hair flip to every live performance scene, Malek embodied Mercury perfectly.Many have critiqued the movie for its portrayal of Mercury’s sexuality, stating that it focuses too heavily on his relationship with Mary Austin, but this is an unfair judgment. Mercury loved Austin and remained friends with her until his death, even saying at one point, “All my lovers asked me why they couldn’t replace Mary, but it’s simply impossible.” To exclude Austin or to try to diminish her role in Mercury’s life would be a disservice to his legacy. And to those who argue that showing Austin’s importance to Mercury was an attempt at “straight-washing” Mercury, the movie does go on to show Mercury’s relationships with more than one man, and states that Mercury remained with his partner Jim Hutton, until his death.
On the opposite side, there has also been quite a bit of backlash due to Austin replying, “You’re gay, Freddie” in the film, when Mercury tells her he thinks he is bisexual. Again, this critique takes the quote only at face value. Austin’s comment to Mercury comes across more as a representation of the time Mercury lived in, than as the movie trying to erase Mercury’s bisexuality. Malek did a wonderful job portraying the internal struggle Mercury was going through as he felt his love for Austin but was starting to find himself attracted to men as well. The pain in his eyes is evident as Mercury tells the woman he loves about his true identity, only to have her shut him down, telling him he is something else. It is a poignant moment that many know all too well.
Finally, and probably the biggest critique many have of the movie, has to do with the way the film handles Mercury’s AIDS diagnosis. Many have said that the movie glosses over Mercury’s diagnosis. To everyone saying this, did you actually watch the movie? The symptoms start showing up fairly early in the film, and Mercury is eventually shown in a doctor’s office, but if this was all too subtle for you, one of the most emotional and tear-jerking moments comes when Mercury tells his band about his diagnosis. In this scene, Mercury tells his bandmates that he doesn’t want to be their “poster boy,” essentially stating that he doesn’t want to become the face of AIDS, hence why he kept this a secret from the public right up until his death. This is exactly why it is so important that ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ chose to show Mercury as the powerhouse performer that he was, rather than focusing the film on Mercury’s battle with his illness.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is upfront with Mercury’s illness and hearing him sing “I don’t wanna die” during the Live Aid performance sent chills down my arms, but the film shows his illness without portraying him as a victim. The film ends with the band’s powerful performance at Live Aid, leaving the audience with a sense of awe and wonder, instead of showing Mercury struggling up until his death. This was a conscious choice, and it was the right one.
Along with the serious themes and heavy nature of the film, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is balanced by comedic moments. From May and Deacon’s terror when Taylor nearly destroys their coffee machine, to Mercury excitedly exclaiming that his new mansion has enough rooms that each of his cats can have their own, there are more than enough moments to keep the film lighthearted.
Whether you have grown up loving Queen or simply want to catch a feel-good movie with friends, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the movie for you. You can see it in theaters now.
Header photo by author Garnette Ransone