I saw Bohemian Rhapsody the other night, and I’m in love. Of course, I should note that I’m a Queen fan, and I love their music. I’m also a nostalgic rock music junkie, so I am a bit positively biased.
That said, the movie is currently rated at 8.4 on IMDB, there are well-deserved award nomination predictions for Malek, and after just a weekend at the worldwide box office, it almost tripled its budget.
Did I build enough buzz for you yet?
Now, what would I think of the movie if I wasn’t a rock fan? Or if it wasn’t based on an inspiring, awesome, and yet tragic life story? I think I’d still be impressed. The casting, the humor, the various emotions and conflicts portrayed, the themes of not fitting in, only being able to be yourself when you do what you are meant to do, being constantly judged and gossiped about, walking a thin line between being a star and a friend… It is very well-done.
Bohemian Rhapsody is the next best thing to having a time machine you can use to watch Queen live for real, or being the right age so you were able to catch them live in the 70s and 80s.
I neither have the machine nor am I the right age, so this movie means a lot to me. It gave me an experience I couldn’t have had otherwise, and I’m grateful.
If you watch this movie and don’t have a good time while fighting the urge to sing, cry and dance, we can’t be friends. Just kidding. We can be friends. We will, however, forever disagree on the merits of the film.
Have you seen it yet?
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Bohemian Rhapsody Plot Summary
As for the plot, it starts right before Freddie is about to take the stage at Live Aid, then it takes us back to the beginning where Freddie worked at the airport during college and met the guys who would become his fellow band members, Brian May and Roger Taylor. The group also recruits John Deacon as their bass player, and the legend begins. They start experimenting with rock music, record their own album, and garner the attention of EMI records.
While the movie has its sad parts (Freddie’s loneliness, his clashes with his friends, his somewhat self-destructive habits and personality traits, his course his illness), the rest is mostly an inspiring, motivational, and incredibly fun ride where we get to see how our favorite Queen songs came to be.
Favorite Scenes: Well, all of it really, but these stand out even more:
- The creation and recording of Bohemian Rhapsody
- Any time the band has funny banter.
- The creation of We Will Rock You
- Concert scenes, with the absolute best being the Live Aid performance
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Verdict: Go see it, duh!
