A biopic where singer Robbie Williams is played by a CGI monkey (yes really) is getting rave reactions

Robbie Williams biopic Better Man is proving popular – but the film has one weird twist that might leave you scratching your head.

Williams, of course, is the British superstar behind hits like 'Rock DJ' and 'Angels.' The film is directed by The Greatest Showman helmer Michael Gracey.

Put simply, Williams is played in the film by none other than a CGI monkey. Yes, you read that right. According to The Independent, this bizarre decision was made since Williams believes himself to be pretty much a performing monkey once he's onstage. Williams even voices himself in the movie, while Jonno Davies is the physical performer.

"The Robbie Williams "biopic" BETTER MAN was genuinely one of the most surprising films I saw here in #Telluride. There are some genuinely gorgeous set pieces in there. And it's entertaining as it’s touching. I hope this one has legs outside of the festivals," writes critic Tomris Laffly.

"Better Man is a moving biopic about a Robbie Williams with some incredibly musical numbers. And Robbie Williams is a CGI monkey the whole movie! It’s an exploration of fame and self loathing," writes Vanity Fair's Rebecca Ford.

"#BetterMan is special. Musician Robbie Williams tells his own story as a monkey, and nearly every part of it works. You can't deny the raw honesty and visionary direction by Michael Gracey. It's a tear-jerking crowdpleaser, and you'll never hear "My Way" the same way again. Adored!" is the verdict of Variety's Clayton Davis.

However, not everyone is totally convinced. "Michael Gracey proves he's not a one-hit-wonder when it comes to musical numbers. The sequences in 'Better Man.' are often euphoric. The problem is the CG monkey takes you out of Robbie Williams' super familiar story," says The Playlist's Gregory Ellwood.

Better Man debuted at Telluride Film Festival and will release in Australia on December 26, with a limited theatrical release in the US on December 25 and a wide release on January 17. There's no UK release date just yet.

While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming major movie release dates for everything this year has in store.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.