Arts

Ria’s Flick Picks

Hey, my name is Ria Vieira. In the upcoming weeks I’m going to be expressing my love for movies by reviewing some great or not-so-great films. If you want to discuss a movie or this column with me, please contact me at rvieira@andover.edu!

“Bohemian Rhapsody”

Summary:
This Oscar-winning film follows the life and career of Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek), as he juggles his personal relationships, physical health, and he and his bandmates’ fame surrounding the success of their iconic band, Queen. All the while, “Bohemian Rhapsody” goes behind the scenes, showing all of the intricacies in the band’s creation of timeless classics like “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” and the eponymous song: “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Writing/Directing:
It is true that, for the most part, the person’s life story cannot be altered. However, it is up to the screenwriter to create the narrative. Screenwriter Anthony McCarten succeeded in boiling everything revolving Freddie Mercury’s career down to a two-hour movie. McCarten portrayed Freddie’s eccentric persona, Queen’s journey to fame, their musical performances, and much more without cramming the film with timelined events or leaving the audience with an untold story.
The directing by Bryan Singer, however, wasn’t anything special. Sure, there were cool shots here and there— such as a long shot down a hallway or a character being seen through the frames of a pair of reflective sunglasses—but nothing that I hadn’t seen before or struck me as noteworthy.

Acting:
As much as the Oscars are a completely overrated awards show, there was no doubt that Rami Malek should have won Best Actor (out of the films nominated) for his role as Freddie Mercury. He was attention-grabbing from the start—my eyes would stay glued to his face catch subtle movements that would show Mercury’s fear, anxiety, or excitement. At some points during the film, I would have to remind myself, “Ria, this isn’t the real Freddie Mercury.” Malek’s ability to completely transform himself into another character, so much so that I forget that he isn’t Freddie, is something to be commended.

Ria’s Rate: 8/10 I would have loved if they added live performance footage to the movie, perhaps split-screened with the recreated concerts, that compare the performances in the movie with Queen’s actual performances.