Movie Review: Control

Meh.

I am a massive Joy Division fan and know this story already and have read the book on which this is read, so it seems a little strange that my reaction to this film is one of a massive YAWN.

Its well shot, superbly acted and a moving portrayal of the frontman... but...

I hate the fact its all shot in Black and White like a photograph by its director Anton Corbijn. I hate the fact that it's based on such a biased account of events (from the biography by the wife he cheated on? hmm...) and also I hated the fact it was so morbidly miserable. All the other members of the band have described Ian Curtis as a good fun guy to be around and not at all the stereotype of the tortured miserable writer, so why Corbijn has chosen to ignore all this (and weirdly since he knew Curtis himself) and make a ridiculously miserable document with almost no fun to be had.

Your only points of comic relief are the depiction of Rob Gretton and for about a second, Martin Hannett. It also contains what is probably the ONLY understated performance of Tony Wilson you could ever have got. More restrained in fact than Wilson in real life, who a dandy little prick if ever there was one.

Instead of a balanced portrayal of a human being we are presented with Richard Burton's Ian Curtis... all hyperbole and VO narration of poetry and lyrics shot against a miserable background.

You're franly, much better served by the first half of Twenty Four Hour Party People. You'll laugh, which is more than can be said here.

Not recommended.

A