X
- 2007
- R
- The Weinstein Company
- 2 h 2 m
- 2007
- R
- The Weinstein Company
- 2 h 2 m
Summary Ian Curtis has aspirations beyond the trappings of small-town life in 1970s England. Wanting to emulate his musical heroes, such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop, he joins a band, and his musical ambition begins to thrive. Soon, though, the everyday fears and emotions that fuel his music slowly begin to eat away at him. Married young, with a ...
Directed By: Anton Corbijn
Written By: Deborah Curtis, Matt Greenhalgh
- 2007
- R
- The Weinstein Company
- 2 h 2 m
- 2007
- R
- The Weinstein Company
- 2 h 2 m
Control
78
7.6
Where to Watch
Summary Ian Curtis has aspirations beyond the trappings of small-town life in 1970s England. Wanting to emulate his musical heroes, such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop, he joins a band, and his musical ambition begins to thrive. Soon, though, the everyday fears and emotions that fuel his music slowly begin to eat away at him. Married young, with a ...
Directed By: Anton Corbijn
Written By: Deborah Curtis, Matt Greenhalgh
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 27 Critic Reviews
78
93% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
7% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 27 Critic Reviews
78
93% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
7% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Even though we're aware of the tragic trajectory of the singer's life, for a while it almost seems as if reality got it wrong and Curtis might just squeak past the reaper's scythe with no more than a shave and a haircut.
Control doesn't claim to know the reasons Curtis killed himself. The act of suicide poses the question why, but rarely answers it, leaving the living to wonder, and to grieve. And there's certainly grief to be had in Control, but also joy. Really.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 43 User Ratings
7.6
84% Positive
36 Ratings
36 Ratings
12% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
5% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 43 User Ratings
7.6
84% Positive
36 Ratings
36 Ratings
12% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
5% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
A story about a tormented young singer committing suicide on the verge of **** is bound to have a certain appeal. However, the risks of falling into melodramatic or morbid are high. Corbijn avoids both, directing this minor masterpiece with restrain and respect for all those involved.
I loved the B&W photography. It recreates the atmosphere of those years, which seem long gone, the bleak but bubbling music scene, and the excitement about the new wave just about to explode. Youth having everything and not realizing how fragile life is.
Ian Curtis was a particularly fragile creature, both because of his epilepsy and his problem with communication. A confused boy without guidance, who wrote some of the most depressing lyrics ever, he still has a huge following. Maybe because his anguish is universally understood.
I am not a Joy Division fan, nor was I particularly shocked by Ian Curtis early departure. However, this movie is so well made that made listen again to their music. After more than 25 years their songs sound even more claustrophobic and depressing and I wonder how Curtis would have developed as a singer.
Had he lived on, I doubt he could have transitioned easily into the light-hearted pop atmosphere of the late 80's. By checking out so early he became unforgettable. Even more so, with this sober but poignant movie celebrating his short time on earth.
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The result is a shockingly human and aptly perceptive biopic.
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Corbijn makes us achingly aware of the singer's talent, the haunting poetry of his songs and how, living in the gloomy culture he did, his passing was virtually inevitable.
Morton's as good an actress as any working today and in Control, she overcomes an age gap to give one of the year's most heartbreaking and honest performances.
Control is director Anton Corbijin's first feature, and he too frequently makes the mistake of falling back on his rock video skills.
Despite excellent performances from Samantha Morton, Craig Parkinson, and the radiant Toby Kebbell, along with a noble effort from pretty newcomer Sam Riley as Curtis himself, Control is like a wake where the guests forgot to bring the booze and, for the most part, have nothing very nice or even particularly interesting to say about the deceased.
I'd like to think this is a fairly insightful film about the life of Ian Curtis, singer in The Joy Division. I can't claim to have known much about him prior to seeing the film - I'm keen on music biopics, so when I heard about this film I decided to watch it. Its all in black and white, giving it a slightly underground or grunge-y type feel to it (which goes with the style of music played), I suppose, plus highlighting the bleakness of the north, where its mostly set. I certainly felt sorry for Debbie. I'd say the mundanity of their married life is well portrayed. The music recording sessions featured sounded pretty decent too. The irony of him singing about isolation didn't pass me by either. Its undoubtedly sad to see what apparently happened, although Ian Curtis was far from a perfect guy but it is a sad story never the less. As a film I thought it was quite engrossing and I'd recommend it on that basis.
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Shot entirely in black and white I found this film very atmospheric and it also had a gritty realism about it. I thought all the performances were excellent with both Sam Riley and Samantha Morton taking top honours. I also have to give a mention to Toby Kebbell who totally stole a couple of scenes with some great over-the-top one-liners. The story is primarily told from Debbie’s point of view and as such we get a very interesting look at the life of this enigmatic soul. This film inspired me to go out and buy a Joy Division greatest hits CD and it’s music that’s always been close to my heart. I should mention that all the live performances portrayed in the film were performed by the actors and so hat’s off to them for making it real. Whether you were a fan of the band or not I’m sure you’ll get something out of this one. Be warned though, it’s quite a tough watch, even when you do know the outcome.
SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED
My score: 8.4/10
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Director Anton Corbijn turns Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis' life into an artistic wonder in Control. A depressing and dark film, Corbijn's black and white film with killer cinematography breathes life into a film that would otherwise be a pretty typical musician biopic. Okay, it is still a typical musician biopic, but it does look really good. Telling the story of the rise and fall of Curtis, including his infidelity and epilepsy that led to his suicide in 1980, the film is a truly harrowing journey. The serves not just as a showcase for Corbijn, but also his actors led by Sam Riley as Curtis, Toby Kebbell as the band manager Rob Gretton, and Samantha Morton as Curtis' wife Deborah. Together, even when the film slows, the trio makes the film eminently watchable.
However, the star here remains the cinematography. In particular, there is a shot through a window of Curtis with the reflection of what he can see in the mirror. A truly striking shot, it is a microcosm of this beautiful film. The black and white adds a degree of character to the film that makes it feel appropriate for the era, with this smokiness to every shot. Who better to add late 1970s British rock scene touches to the film than Corbijn, who has become far more well known for his work in the world of music than in film.
In terms of acting, Control is a real showcase. Sam Riley plays Curtis brilliantly. Through each sequence, you can see the darkness closing in on him as he spirals further and further out of control. Though he tries to escape, there was never any hope for the man as the walls closed in all around. At home, he had broken his relationship with Deborah. On the road, he felt extreme guilt when he slept with Belgian journalist Annik Honore (Alexandra Maria Lara). With the band, his epilepsy wreaked havoc while Joy Division gained more and more notoriety that he could not cope with. Riley brings these elements to life in his portrayal of Curtis and it makes his transformation from a typically energetic teenager to a dark and depressed man in his early 20s all the more harrowing. As the band manager, Kebbell is energetic and truly charismatic. Whenever he is on the screen, his performance makes the character truly magnetic. As Curtis' wife, Samantha Morton plays a heartbroken and tormented Deborah. Her brilliance is subtle throughout the film, but truly realized in the final sequence when she finds Ian dead. Her emotion and power as we hear her find him is a terrific close to the film.
Yet, Control is not perfect. Far too slow and moody, Control feels emotionally distant from beginning to end. Though Curtis certainly was a distant person, this does not make for a great film. While there is more than enough to like about Control in spite of this distance, it does prevent it from becoming an even better film. As a result of this distance, the film also feels incredibly cold. When things happen, except for at the end, it lacks the emotional punch required to make the film a truly lasting experience. Instead, Control winds up being a good biopic of Curtis with great acting and cinematography, but no lasting power.
As a whole, Control is a good film that could have been better if it let us into its world a bit more. That said, it remains a terrific look at the harrowing descent experienced by Ian Curtis that culminated in his suicide at the age of 23. However, as musician biopics go, though Control is quite good, it never really rises above the crowd.
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Production Company
Becker Films,
CINV,
Claraflora,
EM Media,
European Regional Development Fund,
IFF,
NorthSee,
Three Dogs and a Pony,
Warner Music
Release Date Oct 10, 2007
Duration 2 h 2 m
Rating R
Website
http://www.controlthemovie.com/
Awards
British Independent Film Awards
• 5 Wins & 10 Nominations
London Critics Circle Film Awards
• 3 Wins & 8 Nominations
Cannes Film Festival
• 4 Wins & 6 Nominations
