The DVD to own this week is the tale of rock star Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
• “Bohemian Rhapsody” 4 stars: The examination of the creative and destructive nature of genius through Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) and Queen offers insight into both the musical madness of the band and the emotional insanity Mercury dealt with during his short-lived career. He died in 1991 at the age of 45 from bronchial pneumonia brought on by AIDS.
Anthony McCarten’s (“Darkest Hour”) script hits all the big tent moments, ranging from Mercury’s unusual relationship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) to the creation of some of Queen’s most memorable works. Just when the film begins to slip into a master class in music, McCarten directs the story back to one of the many personal relationships. There are some gaps in the story, but that’s always the case with a biography.
As for the music, not every great Queen song is featured, but their catalogue of hits would also dramatically increase the movie’s running time. What is included makes this a soundtrack that is a must to own, even if you have every Queen album.