Rhapsody and Rocketman do not show any focus towards the wonders and struggles of the creative endeavour, nor do they show any respect to the jukebox songs they blast out on their speakers. For major studio releases such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, there is no interest in anything beyond the iconography that these performers created. Recent films such as Love & Mercy and Born to be Blue have focused on the interior lives of their subjects, examining their struggles and greatness – the reasons why people still love the work of Brian Wilson and Chet Baker to this day.
The best examples of this genre in recent memory have devoted extensive time to the details of creation or the salvation that being able to make and play music can bring. There is little focus on the passion and process that goes into work that has altered so many people’s lives. Music biopics so rarely care about the artistry behind the music.
