Loren Petisce

I was just a kid when Freddie Mercury passed away, so I never got to see Freddie with Queen in concert and wasn’t too familiar with their music (besides the big radio hits) until I became an adult. 

That being said, I saw the preview for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ recently while seeing another movie at the theater and thought it looked good.  My husband was very interested in seeing it, so we decided to go.

I’d heard mixed reviews about ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, and of course with it’s release so close to ‘A Star Is Born’, there has been comparisons between the two films. I read the reviews and comparisons, and like I do with most things, I went into this movie with an open mind. 

I was intrigued right from the start, the film caught my interest from the first scene and kept me glued until the credits. One of the first things I noticed and loved was that Mercury, played by actor Rami Malek, was unapologetically himself.  He was so confident with who he was as a person as well as his musical abilities; and acted and dressed in ways we would refer to as “extra” these days, but that was who he was and he owned it!  He was also portrayed in a very endearing light; I immediately liked him and became attached to his character.  

I felt the story flowed very well, showing us a glimpse into his family life, then how he met the guys he would would eventually form Queen with, and segued nicely into how he met and formed a relationship with Mary.  I have read that Freddie Mercury was very private about his personal life, and I felt that the movie revealed just enough to let the audience know who he was as a person and a performer, while still respecting his privacy and legacy.

One of the things I didn’t like about the aforementioned ‘A Star Is Born’ is that the plot moved too quickly, it made the movie seem far fetched, like a person wouldn’t rise to fame THAT quickly with zero setbacks.  I didn’t feel that way about ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at all, it moved along at the perfect pace, telling all the important details of his story. 

Going into this movie as a person who wasn’t terribly familiar with Mercury or Queen, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I thought the movie would be good, I didn’t think it would make me feel so much.  Seeing Freddie own who he was as a person, made me think about how I…no, we, all of us, should own who we are!  Show the world your talents, your quirks, your whole self and never apologize for being who you are!  I loved learning about what an extraordinary talented man Freddie Mercury was!  It made me wish I was more familiar with him and the music of Queen before seeing this film. I was anticipating a slightly different ending, but I’m not upset with how the movie was wrapped up.  Also, as a cat lady myself, I was over the moon with how much Freddie loved his cats!! I squealed each time he talked to his cats and when he asked to speak to them on the phone while he was away on tour.  It was a little quirk that others may have found strange, but I found relatable and endearing. 

I’m not sure this is a typical tearjerker movie for most, but for me, I got very attached to Freddy’s character, and found myself crying multiple times throughout the movie.  If you cry easily like I do, I suggest bringing some tissues with you! 

I will end on this note, whether you are a fan of Queen or somewhat unfamiliar with them, I think you will enjoy this film.  At the very least, I hope it inspires you to be confident in who you are as a person and show the world YOU without ever apologizing or holding back!  ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was very well done, and I will go see it again in the theater.  I am not a “go see it again in the theater” type of person, I never do that, but for this one I have to, I loved it.