Bill Young

I am a lifelong Queen fan. Having said that, my first viewing left me a little disappointed - largely over some factual inaccuracies regarding the history of the band. However, this film is not a documentary. It does not pretend to be. It is a compelling story and each actor portraying a band member are remarkably spot on (except for Ben Hardy’s Roger Taylor who is the weakest of the four). What I especially love is Joe Mazzello’s characterizing of John Deacon. As reclusive as Deacy is, Joe captures his essence wonderfully. Deacon, by the way, is a criminally underrated component of Queen. But Rami Malik as Freddie Mercury transcends the film. When I saw BoRhap a second time, I let go of my documentary expectations and just enjoyed the ride. And for anyone who was a Queen fan in the US, this film and the awards it’s garnered since its release is such sweet validation. I was one of the “misfits in the back of the room who are pretty sure they don’t belong” and to see a new generation of Queen fans come to the party is just tremendous. Queen always were about pleasing it’s audience and doing it to the nth degree. BoRhap turns the fun up to 11.