First reviews are in and critics have given Robbie Williams' musical biopic Better Man excellent ratings. The semi-biographical film chronicles the singer's quick ascent to stardom as a member of Take That and subsequent precipitous decline as he grappled with his inner demons and the difficulties that come with fame.

The new movie 'Better Man,' which presents Robbie Williams as a chimpanzee, has a much better critical standing than other musical biopics out there.

While the early days of Williams’ boy band Take That, for instance, are low-rent, the first rush of success is delirious. Tweaking the timeline, the band and many extras do a mass song-and-dance to Williams’ later hit “Rock DJ” on a light-show Regent Street brash enough it all but reaches out of the screen to steal your drink.

This new film showing Robbie as a CGI chimp is all about his inner world - but cathartic as it is, he's not entirely free

Let chimpanzee entertain you in a wonderfully bizarre — but still formulaic — musical from the director of "The Greatest Showman."

All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Jonno Davies plays Robbie Williams as a chimp in "Better Man" from Paramount Pictures.

Better Man, the new film biopic of Robbie Williams, is out in cinemas today (Thursday, December 26) and has already been receiving rave reviews by critics

Robbie Williams will be portrayed by a CGI monkey in new biopic Better Man and there is a fascinating story behind the decision to have the singer shown as an animal