MOVIE REVIEW: Rocketman the Human Tragedy of ‘Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places’

Lyrics of Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places 

Well, I’ve spent a lifetime lookin’ for you;
singles bars and good time lovers were never true.
Playin’ a fools game hopin’ to win;
and tellin’ those sweet lies and losin’ again.
I was lookin’ for love in all the wrong places,
Lookin’ for love in too many faces,
searchin’ their eyes and lookin’ for traces
of what I’m dreamin’ of.

Songwriters: Bob Morrison / Patti Ryan / Wanda Mallette

The film Rocketman is a remake of the film Bohemian Rhapsody. Same story about failed lives, sexual addiction (homosexuality), drug and alcohol addiction, betrayal by homosexual lovers and failure to achieve true redemption.

In my column “Bohemian Rhapsody: A Case Study Of The Destructive Gay Lifestyle” I wrote:

I came away with a feeling of deep sadness watching the tragedy of the life of Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, played brilliantly by Rami Malek. If anything Bohemian Rhapsody is a case study of the decline, fall and untimely death of a bi-sexual individual because of his promiscuous gay lifestyle.

The acting was excellent. The script and images depicted in great detail the path of Freddie from a heterosexual male into the darkest and deepest world of homosexuality.

If anything the lesson of Bohemian Rhapsody is about temptation and the weakness of the flesh.

Rocketman is all about temptation and the weakness of the flesh. Rocketman is also about failed parenting and its consequences. Reginald was never loved in his childhood, portrayed as flashbacks in the film, and is desperately seeking love throughout the film, in all the wrong places. His homosexuality doesn’t bring him love, rather his homosexual partners do just the opposite, they betray his trust and love.

Both Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody are sad films, with great music and acting.

There’s no doubt that Reginald Kenneth Dwight (a.k.a. Elton John), played brilliantly by Taron Egerton, and Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury had much in common. Both great talents who failed in their personal lives. Reginald is still alive. Freddie died of HIV/AIDS.

Both films are about how far a human being can fall into the abyss of sex, drugs and rock and roll. After watching Rocketman I began thinking of the the 1980 Country & Western song “Lookin’ for Love in All the Wrong Places” sung by Johnny Lee. The song was the sound track for the film “Urban Cowboy” co-starring John Travolta. “Urban Cowboy” is another tragic story of a man and woman who betray one another during their marriage. What is ironic is the only person who stood by Elton was Bernie Taupin, a straight white guy, played by Jamie Bell. Taupin and Elton were like “brothers.” Taupin wrote the lyrics and Elton put music to the lyrics.

Mankind sins. We all are sinners. Satan, Elton John dressed as the devil, makes his appearance at the beginning of the film. Satan is the central figure in Rocketman. Elton John dresses like Satan because he knows that his life is Satanic.

At the end of Rocketman there are three photos of Elton John.

One of him with a caption stating that Elton has been sober for 28 years. The second with Elton hugging a little girl touting his efforts to raise money to fight HIV/AIDs. The third of Elton with his male spouse, Canadian film maker David Furnish, with their two adopted children. These photos are put in the film to make it appear that Elton has turned a stone in his personal failed life of sex and drug/alcohol abuse.

While these three photos give an impression that Elton has changed and is today all right is misleading at best. Elton is still a homosexual and will remain an alcohol/drug addict for the rest of his life.

What Elton hasn’t done is fully redeem himself and turned fully away from his homosexual lifestyle. Because it was that homosexual lifestyle that led him into the depths of a hell on earth, including a suicide attempt. These three photos ring hallow at best. Doing good deeds is not enough. Being sober is not enough. Adopting children is not enough.

The film is yet another sad commentary of how far into the depths of debauchery one man can go. We hope others learn from the examples of Reginald and Freddie. The path to purgatory is wide. The path to heaven is narrow.

I came away thinking that if I ever met Elton John I would say to him, “Take the narrow path Reginald. You will be glad you did.”

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