latinfineart This was a truly outstanding film. Granted I am a huge fan of this genre, period, and feel that some the music that came out of the UK in the 1970's and 1980's was hugely influential, important, and absolutely timeless. Of course, there is no arguing the influence Joy Division had, and their subsequent follow up act, New Order. Curtis was able to evoke such emotion, such power, more than likely due to his state of mind, and the chaotic emotional state he had to endure.Shot in gorgeous, classic black and white, the Ian Curtis biopic doesn't seem to care if you like Joy Division, the influential post-punk band Curtis fronted. It simply presents a taut, emotionally wrenching narrative. And I never really got the post punk genre title. Is that the best they could do? How about pre-electronica? Or crazy inventive. Or mind numbingly stupendous? Joy Division released only two proper albums in its short history, but the group disproportionately influenced the music that followed. Fans will enjoy the re-creations of seminal shows and recording sessions, staged with authority by director Anton Corbijn, who photographed the band and its peers in the '70s and '80s.But even non-fans will appreciate the cinematography and note-perfect performances, which seem to evoke a certain dread of 1970s working-class England. We see young Curtis, played with appropriate understatement by Sam Riley, worshiping David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed in his bedroom in Macclesfield, England, in 1973. He tries on makeup, smokes endless cigarettes and carefully organizes his darkly poetic writing into binders. Who knew what an extraordinary songwriter he was to become?Riley's performance immediately sets the tone, his giant, uncertain eyes rejecting our sympathy and attempts to reduce him to an archetype. He marries his high school crush, Deborah (Samantha Morton), at age 19 as his band (first called Warsaw) slowly ascends.Curtis' inner life, rendered through rich, stifling close-ups, is wracked with guilt and self-doubt, whether it's for cheating on his wife with the beautiful French gal Annik Honoré (Alexandra Maria Lara) or dealing with his worsening epilepsy and obsession with mortality. He is obviously in a lot more pain that we know, and does a reasonably good job of showing it.The film is a quiet study. It is ponderous at times. But, in the end, it is a strong, self assured film, that really hits the mark.

eric262003 Ian Curtis breaks away from the clichés of young rockers who died before their time. Instead of sex, drugs, alcohol and being totally messed up. Instead this individual has succumbed to a lifelong struggle with epilepsy, a disjointed marriage and the struggles that go with being a rock performer. "Control" sets the record straight that go beyond the typical rocker biopic, but still we never truly see who the real Ian Curtis was and somehow we may really never know.Sam Riley stars as Ian Curtis, the frontman of the 1970's punk band Joy Division. I'm not giving away anything by saying that he committed suicide and made himself into an icon in the music world. The central stories behind Curtis in his battles with a troubled marriage, his battles with epilepsy, and his lust for a Dutch girl named Annik. Riley must have done his homework with his role as he is a standout in every way possible from his voice to his eccentric quirks. He does sing his songs and I take my hat off for that. Curtis was no Paul McCartney, but his voice did stand out above the rest and Riley succeeds in that area.From the movie we get a good overview as to just how melancholy Joy Division's music was really like. Other bands were not always that spontaneous but the nuances behind Curtis' cynical lyrics behind his singing makes the setting of dreary Manchester, England all the more apropos. Sure there might be a few exaggerations coming on here and there at times, but does not over do it like "Walk the Line." Instead it gives the viewer the chance to piece together the metaphoric puzzle. When he's at the unemployment office and young lady is having a seizure, this was the inspiration to their hit song "She's Lost Control." It's all in the matter of dissecting through the subliminal messages in the lyrics to get a better understanding of the modus operandi of Joy Division and what they write about. Sure the camera crew make it obvious as they show you around Curtis' troubled mind as they show us a series of sentimental books written by the likes of JG Ballard and William S. Burroughs or how enthusiastically wants to see "Apocalypse Now". So these tiny details demonstrate just what kind of character Curtis was like.The thing that irks me about musical biopics is that they hardly look into the creativity of a musician, singer or a group. In "Control" we are treated to the drum tracking behind "She's Lost Control". And we can understand the strange hissing sound coming from a spray can. I wished that there would have been more screen time for the character who played Martin Hannett, Joy Division's demanding producer (we all thought Phil Spector was demanding). But in all respect, Hannett gets credit for creating the unusual sound that made Joy Division a league of their own. Sadly he was on for five minutes. Where did the group decide to use the bass guitar as the leading instrument and have the lead guitar demoted to background instrument (much like The Who where John Entwhistle's bass was more the leading instrument than the guitar). It could have been because Peter Hook was more available in studio than Bernard Sumner? Who knows?Overall, "Control" is one of the more underrated musical biopics. Riley turns in one of his best performances as the troubled rocker and what influenced him in his shortened life. But Ian Curtis is still one of life's mysteries and we may never know much about him unless we actually sit down and talk to the surviving members of Joy Division, Bernard Summer, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris. You can listen to his music till your blue in the face, and still never able to unravel what's gone through the creator's head.

artisdeadpeppermint Control, the story of Ian Curtis, singer of British alternative band Joy Division. The film is made in black and white, which adds a certain edge to the film. There isn't much drama or fast-paced scenes (until the very end, I guess), and that seems to be what everyone criticizes about the movie. Why do you think the director wanted it black and white? If it had been a sincerely boring film, why release it? Of course they made up some aspects of Ian's life, but the fact is that Ian was a dull, depressed human being. He couldn't handle love, or fame overall. He doesn't show signs of emotion in the film, and doesn't speak much at all. Truth is, black and white was exactly what he saw, while he was spiraling towards the end of his life. The acting is incredible. Absolutely spot on. Very very noteworthy.I enjoyed Control, but that's only because I love indie films and rock and roll movies. If you're looking into this movie expecting some delicious drama and edge-of-your-seat thrills, just don't watch it. It's about a man who gradually fell apart, who gradually lost control. And if you can't see that in the film, it's definitely not worth watching.

richwgriffin-227-176635 I was really disappointed by this movie. I have been watching many British and irish independent films that I haven't seen before. This film won several British Independent Film Awards, and I am really surprised by these accolades. The film, for me anyway, was dull and unexceptional. The performances were monosyllabic (slow slow slow). I didn't particularly care about any of these characters and I wanted to do so. I was particularly shocked that Toby Kebbell somehow won the supporting actor/actress BIFA award - where is he in this movie? His Rob is only in the movie for 3 or 4 minutes, as far as I can tell - his one-liners fall flat to me and there is no character development whatsoever. I've enjoyed Samantha Morton so much in so many wonderful movies but she's dull and lifeless here. I was especially disappointed in Sam Riley's central performance - he has no charisma. Either the camera loves you or it doesn't (for example, I saw The History Boys on stage and Samuel Barnett radiated stage performance energy; then I saw the movie, and the camera simply loved Dominic Cooper - it's the whole Marilyn Monroe thing, when she can't remember her lines but the camera loves her so much it doesn't matter). The music isn't my type of music but it's O.K. I didn't hate the music. Has Anton Corbijn directed any more movies? He won both the best director BIFA award and the Best Debut director award as well - but why? All four of the other films that were nominated for Best Independent Film were exceptionally good: Eastern Promises, Hallam Foe, Notes On A Scandal and When Did You Last See Your Father? Sarah Gavron's direction of Brick Lane was lyrical and beautiful and the other 3 nominees were David Cronenberg for Eastern Promises, David MacKenzie for Hallam Foe (seek this movie out, it's a real gem starring Jamie Bell of Billy Elliot fame), and Anand Tucker for When Did You Last See Your Father? (this last one is the most traditional and seems more mainstream to me). But I didn't start to watch this movie thinking I wouldn't care for it; I almost always stick with it (although I didn't with In The Loop, which I hated hated hated). It's interesting to read the different opinions on here about these movies. If there were a heaven, for me it would be getting to see all the movies, theatre, and listen to all the music I haven't gotten around to in this lifetime! (: