Bizarre to have a 4-part series without any mention whatsoever of where he came from, as if he just popped into existence at the age of 16. And it only became clear in the final episode that the entire point of this series is for Robbie to attempt a career comeback (and in the US of all places which is odd seeing as how he claimed he enjoyed the anonymity he has in the US).
shareI'm still at episode 1. Kinda sad they put so little time to his Take That years. It felt like he was there for whole few months.
But he was there for 5 years.
But I love to find out he hated Gary Barlow out of jealously and because producers were putting Gary as a lead. Despite Robbie and Mark singing too. I always hate that when they do that in boy-bands. Everyone should be equal. And it was not deserved by Gary since his voice was nothing special and he wasn't that much pretty and had no charisma to back up leading status like Timberlake or Styles.
It was hilarious to see him flop after group broke up and that Williams, aka stupid supporting drug boy, had that great solo carer with hits while Gary flopped just like Ronan Keating, who is another boy-band member who producers pushed as lead while he lacked charisma for it.
I never liked him thinking he was a prick and a-hole. And first episode of his documentary didnt change my mind. He reall was a prick, specially back then. He was like a little spoiled privileged child.
He toned it down as he was older. But still he is not a nice person.
I was 10 mins in of the first episode and felt like the format of this doco is all wrong, so came on here to see if there was any love for it? After reading your post, pepetoony, it already makes sense that this is just going to be 4 episodes of P.R spin- all part of an expensive campaign design toward a career resurgence.
I am already hating how he’s commenting on himself so not sure I can stick this one out?
Whilst I love seeing all the vintage ‘Take That’ footage and getting glimpses of such a privileged persons lifestyle, I think I am going to find it hard to muster up any empathy when the subject in question is such an incredibly spoiled and over-indulged narcissist.
I watched it in full. It's very interesting take. As they somehow managed to find and edit coherently all old footage of him when he was young and spoiled. And not some press public videos. Those were really personal, shot inside his mundane life by his people or friends. And it's years after years in chronological order. You don't see it that often in docu bios.
I wonder where they were stored. As I don't think those kind of videos he was giving to press.
And he was very honest about what a prick and addict he was. I like those new documentaries that stars of 90-th are now doing and they actually tell what they were doing and thinking back then. Because its not what their public persona was.
Everything was just so fake about them. And now they look at that persons they were and be like: "Yep, that 20-years old was prick and idiot".
And have to say - I haven't change my mind about Robbie Williams. I dind't like him back then as he was incredibly spoiled and over-indulged narcissist. And I don't care about him now. Difference is that he now admits and acknowledges what an idiot and prick he was and is ashamed of it.
Young Robbie reminds me of young Justin Bieber in terms of behavior. Both were self-destructing idiots. Both matured and somewhat got their shit together later in life.
I’ve watched it all now too and completely agree with your assessment emori.
The vintage footage was impressively wound into the narrative and it was very cohesively done.
It does give one a good glimpse into the complex life of R.W. - thorns and all.
Whilst I don’t think this doco was as well done as the Beckham or even the Arnold one, I did come away with a much better understanding of him and his career.
I do agree with O.P’s original comment though that it’s very odd that his parents and sibling don’t get even a single mention. It seems especially odd given how much we do see his wife and children peppered throughout all 4 of the episodes.
Yeah, I haven't even noticed until this post that there was no mention of parents. And I felt they should have spent more time on Take That old videos as it was fun. And documentary dragged in last episode to the point it became boring in final moments. He was just wondering around in "now time", saying boring speeches.
I forgot to mention - I was offended with him laying there on his bed in his underwear while watching his old footage. Even when his daughter was coming in. Its was distasteful, annoying and weird. Just why, Jesus. And every time he was back for narrating I asked: "Did he put pants on now?"
And he looks surprisingly so good for the person of his age and what an addict he was. He is almost 50 but if he would color his hair to black he could pass for 35, really. Smooth skin, lean. Shocking knowing his past.
And I loved the part when he said he hated Gary Barlow because he was acting like leader and they were putting him in front. I always hate when boybands do that. Where there were 3 members that sang in group. But it very visibly how they acted as if Gary was the only talented leader that was holding success on his shoulders. Only to see how clown Robbie left and became even biggest star solo. And Gary completely flopped in his solo career because no one cared to see him alone singing his boring songs. Same with Ronan Keating. Who was put in front of Boyzone only to see his solo career going nowhere after 2 hit songs. Then he disappeared.
Omg him being in his underwear whilst being interviewed drove me absolutely crazy! I was going to write that in my last comment but then decided I didn’t want to be too negative on here. The scenes with his eldest daughter where he told her to come in and ‘spoon’ him whilst he was being interviewed on camera and lying in his bed showed just how emotionally stunted and how over-indulged he is.
Given the lack of any mention of his parents one can’t help surmise that he probably didn’t have a great childhood and now has chosen a wife that basically cares for him in a very motherly way. Robbie obviously is the bread winner for the family but she would be doing all the emotional and heavy lifting in raising the children and caring for him at the same time.
Its weird how life goes. He was this wild soul, no one could contain him. And then bam - he meets random American D-list actress and settles down with her. And they seem like they are in happy marriege despite being together freaking 17 years old. And 4 children popped out. And they seem like they are still in love. Amazing, really.
It was also funny how he told his daughter to leave room as he would watch bad footage of himself and said she will watch this in few years when she will grow up. Its like Robbie, honey, please, - she will watch your documentary the day it will come out on streamings. She ain't 5, she knows how to use them. She can find it online if you will not let her watch it home.