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danielwinterburn-70734
Reviews
Robbie Williams (2023)
An interesting portrait and snapshot but too ego-driven
I should start by saying I actually like some of the work of Robbie Williams, both individually and as part of Take That. He definitely is a talented guy and great showman, but it's a pity the penny clearly still hasn't dropped for him regarding the incredible amount of luck he's had along the way. Unfortunately I found him quite egotistical and lacking in true self-reflection which left me a bit frustrated watching it. When he was left to his own devices to come up with Rudebox, which wouldn't have got anywhere near the top 40 ordinarily, and the indifference the American audience quite clearly treated him, there's no reflection on the main reason why he ended up so successful in the UK which is the underdog narrative and story behind it all and I don't get the sense he has an honest appraisal of himself which is part of his problem.
That said, you still can't help but sympathise with him regarding the awful treatment he received from the British press, who were particularly vile duriing the 90's and early noughties. The documentary does a fairly good job of reflecting this and they are massively to blame for some of the clear and genuine mental health issues he has suffered with, which is really sad. Some of the treatment of him was disgusting and you can see where he's grappling with the complex issue of imposter syndrome and anxiety.
Like other reviews have said, it is a bit odd with him sat around in his pants watching the clips and a bit contrived where his daughter comes in. I hope he generally can find peace given the fact he's clearly been through such a tough time but at times it's a bit of a slog of a watch and something that coud have been condensed into at least half the amount of time.