I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that legendary band Queen’s biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, has taken the entire world by storm. It was no surprise that Rami Malek’s film, where he portrayed Rockstar Freddie Mercury, got nominated for two Golden Globe Awards according to The Telegraph. It’s been shortlisted for ‘Best Motion Picture’ and ‘Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture’ for 2019. Our fingers are crossed in favor of the American-Egyptian actor to ace the Golden Globes, but could he land an Oscar nomination as well?
Queen Guitarist Brian May praised Malek’s sensational performance in the film and stated that he deserved an Oscar nomination. It’s quite debatable whether the Golden Globes is a reliable predictor of the Academy Awards’ winners or even nominations. However, a Globes win; or multiple wins, can improve a film’s chances and encourage the Academy voters to consider it.
On the other side, SportsBettingDime.com (SBD), whose goal is to be a source for all betting information, including odds like these, doesn’t seem to be that positive regarding the film’s future. “Bohemian Rhapsody is a longshot to win the Best Picture Oscar, which is predicted to be a two-horse race between A Star Is Born and Roma. Even a nomination is somewhat unlikely,” wrote Sascha Paruk from SBD. “While it made nearly $600 million at the box office, the Freddie Mercury biopic was a critical disappointment. It certainly dealt with the subject matter to garner an Oscar nomination but failed to deliver, much like Freddie’s solo career,” Paruk added. However, it’s worth mentioning that SBD’s entertainment analysts still gave it 2/1 odds to receive a Best Picture nod.
Plot-wise, the film has garnered contradicting reviews. According to Indie Wire, “Rami Malek does a convincing job of reanimating one of rock’s greatest frontmen, but that isn’t enough to save this feature-length Queen ad.” Additionally, UPROXX‘s Mike Ryan wrote, “Bohemian Rhapsody feels like a dead pool.” However, he clarified on another note, “Rami Malek is really great as Freddie Mercury. He’s so great that he almost sells what this movie is trying to pawn off on us. I do wish he could have, somehow, been in a movie that was kinder to the legacy of Freddie Mercury; one the band didn’t control, but that’s not the way it went down.”
On the contrary, TheWrap’s lead movie critic, Alonso Duralde, had another say. “An object example of how a film can be entertaining and even exhilarating without being particularly good, “Bohemian Rhapsody” has the driving energy of a stadium anthem and the fizzy meaninglessness of a bubblegum pop song,” he wrote.
In my very own personal opinion, despite all the contradicting views about the movie itself, Malek’s performance cannot simply go in vain. Besides his acting skills and his on-screen strong connection with Freddie’s character, spending time with a movement coach strictly training to be able to nail the role is definitely something. The actor’s passion, effort, talent, and dedication to the character could easily be spotted in an 11-minute jaw-dropping scene where he copied the iconic Live Aid performance. The guy definitely needs a standing ovation, that’s for sure!
