There was absolutely no chance that Elton John was going to let a movie about his life be just another by-the-numbers rock star biopic, so it should come as no surprise that Rocketman is a blast of campy, over-the-top fun. Anchored by a spectacular performance by Taron Egerton, the film opens with Elton storming into a rehab facility in full concert attire and joining in on a group meeting, where he begins to tell his life story. From there we get to see key moments from his childhood all the way up to the moment he fled for rehab, set to many of John’s biggest hits. Speaking of the music, this isn’t like other similar movies where we only hear the songs during concert or recording studio scenes; rather this is a full-fledged musical, with the characters singing the songs to mirror their thoughts, and more than 1 big choreographed dance sequence. The format adds a lot of life to the movie and allows the writer and director to inject a bit more surrealism into the story and use some rather clever and striking images to convey specific emotions. Rocketman is a visual feast, filled with showstopping moments, great performances, and fantastic music. Elton John didn’t force the filmmakers to omit any of the darker moments from his life, so there is some heavy material here, but despite that it’s easily one of the most fun movies you’re likely to see this year. ★★★★ – Sean Farrell

★★★★★ = Excellent | ★★★★ = Very Good | ★★★ = Good | ★★ = Fair | ★ = Poor