Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
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The film chronicles the meteoric rise of the rock band Queen and the iconic life of their lead singer, Freddie Mercury.
The story
In 1970, Farrokh Bulsara, a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport, discovers a local band called Smile. After meeting and falling for Mary Austin, he joins the band as a replacement singer and eventually changes his name to Freddie Mercury, renaming the group Queen. The film follows the band's journey from their early days in the 1970s to their massive success in the 1980s. It explores the internal dynamics of the band, the evolution of their sound, and the personal struggles of Mercury as he navigates fame, his identity, and the pressures of the music industry leading up to their historic 1985 Live Aid performance.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins in 1970 with Farrokh Bulsara joining the band Smile and becoming Freddie Mercury of the newly named Queen. The narrative follows their rise to fame, the recording of hits like 'Killer Queen' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' and the complexities of their management. As the 1980s progress, internal tensions arise regarding Freddie's personal life and his relationship with manager Paul Prenter. Following a period of solo exploration and personal turmoil, Freddie reconciles with his bandmates. The film culminates in their legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985. The story concludes with a series of intertitles detailing Freddie's death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991 and the subsequent legacy of the band.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 134
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Bryan Singer
- Writers
- Anthony McCarten · screenplay; Anthony McCarten · story; Peter Morgan · story
- Cast and characters
- Rami Malek · Freddie Mercury; Lucy Boynton · Mary Austin; Gwilym Lee · Brian May; Ben Hardy · Roger Taylor; Joe Mazzello · John Deacon; Aidan Gillen · John Reid; Allen Leech · Paul Prenter; Tom Hollander · Jim Beach; Mike Myers · Ray Foster
- Genres
- musical; biographical drama
- Themes
- Identity; Legacy; Sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- Triumphant; Dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- Musical; Biopic; Rock Music
- Source material / true-story basis
- The life of Freddie Mercury and the band Queen.
- Content notes
- Homosexuality
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Rami Malek's performance and the musical sequences but criticized the direction and the use of creative license. It was a major box office success, breaking several records for the biographical and drama genres.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 49 · scale: 100 · review count: 50; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 88% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Best Actor · Academy Awards · Win; Best Film Editing · Academy Awards · Win; Best Sound Editing · Academy Awards · Win; Best Sound Mixing · Academy Awards · Win; Best Picture · Academy Awards · Nomination; Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama · Golden Globe Awards · Win; Best Motion Picture - Drama · Golden Globe Awards · Win; Best Theatrical Motion Picture · Producers Guild of America Awards · Nomination
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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