Screens & Better Man

In this week’s episode we dive into Better Man, Michael Gracey’s glossy Robbie Williams biopic — the one where Robbie is portrayed as a CGI chimp. Yes, really. It’s a bold swing that reframes a familiar music-biopic arc with unexpected bite: boy-band manufacture, burnout, reinvention, and the messy business of becoming “Robbie” when “Robert” is still in the room.What we coverThe Big Swing: Why the CGI chimp isn’t a gimmick for giggles but a visual metaphor for the “performing monkey” persona Robbie built to survive fame — and why that works (or doesn’t) for each of us.Factory Settings: From Nigel & Gary’s control of Take That to the economics of who actually got paid, and the cost of being the “likeable one” without songwriting credits.Oasis Years & Networth Fever: The hang-around era, the envy, the one-upmanship, and the obsession with conquering Knebworth as validation.Dad, Demons & Dopamine: Anxiety, addiction, and that lifelong pursuit of approval — including the film’s sweetest and saddest notes with Nan, and the uneasy father-son bookends.Does the Film Sing? Staging, choreography, and why set-pieces like “Rock DJ” land; what’s rushed (Oasis/Nicole), what’s caricature (sorry, Gary), and where the emotional math still doesn’t balance.Should you watch the film — and our take on it?Short answer: yes to our episode (obviously), and qualified yes to the movie. One of us calls the chimp choice inspired, one calls it clever but not essential, and one is just happy it’s never dull. If you like spirited disagreement with actual reasons, you’re in the right feed.“It’s every music-biopic cliché — but with a CGI chimp doing the coke. Somehow, that makes it feel new.”🎧 Hit play for sharp chat, zero reverence, and plenty of laughs. If you’re new here, stick around after the review for our trademark Top-5 chaos and listener shout-outs.You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at [email protected] or on our website baddadsfilm.com. Until next time, we remain... Bad Dads