It’s been a few weeks since I FINALLY saw “Bohemian Rhapsody” but I cannot stop thinking about it – it was so good!
Before I go any further, here’s the movie description from Google:
Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound.
They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.
Queen has always been one of my favorite 80’s bands, but I really didn’t know much about them before seeing this movie. I know it’s not a documentary, so there are likely many things that weren’t depicted exactly as they happened.
However, as I’ve heard, the remaining members of Queen, along with Freddie’s family, signed off on the film and say it’s an accurate representation. I really felt the movie did a good job of showing the ups and downs of the band without disrespecting Freddie Mercury’s legacy.
My favorite thing about this movie – and what kept me smiling from ear-to-ear nearly the entire film – was Freddie’s style. I still have this great desire to just wear silk robes and aviators from this point forward. He didn’t care what people thought, ultimately, and that’s what made him so lovable.
Tell you what it is, Mr. Reid. Now we’re four misfits who don’t belong together, we’re playing for the other misfits. They’re the outcasts, right at the back of the room. We’re pretty sure they don’t belong either. We belong to them.
-Freddy Mercury
One thing that still boggles my mind is the actor who plays Roger (Queen’s drummer). From the start of the movie, I swear I thought it was Jared Rushton, who plays Billy in “Big”. Even the timing seemed right – “Big” came out in 1988, so the age would be right. The voice, the mannerisms, the jawline… I was like YEP, it’s him!
And then I ran home and checked IMDb and NO!!!!! It’s Ben Hardy, who wasn’t even BORN until 1991. Nonetheless, he looked exactly like the drummer does in real life.
Rami Malek plays Freddie, and it’s interesting to watch all of the interviews he’s done, talking about how he prepared for the role – wearing the false teeth for an entire year, and walking around London carrying a broken microphone stand (ha!).
If you haven’t seen it and have an interest in Queen, I definitely think it’s worth it. It’s fun and obviously, there’s lots of great music in it (I’ve been listening to Queen nearly non-stop ever since). If you’ve seen it, I’d love to know what you think!
The Bitter Lemon 
This was a truly great movie!