Control

Friday consisted of seeing 'Control' at The Cornerhouse on Oxford Road (Next to Oxford Road Station). The Cornerhouse, is the place to be in Manchester if you're a fan of Art House films, it hosts several screens and an atmospheric bar. As the cinema doesn't just show the typical Hollywood blockbusters, the feeling inside isn't as tacky and corportate as other cinemas in the city, and it isn't that expensive either!

The first thing I should say is, what an amazing film 'Control' is! The story is based in the 1970's in Macclesfield, south of Manchester. It revolves around Ian Curtis the mysterious genius who wrote such songs as 'Love will tear us apart' and 'She's lost control' as frontman for Joy Division. The film deals with the period of time between his late adolescence, his stage of inner turmoil and his death in 1980.



Curtis is played by Leeds-born actor Sam Riley who's acting brilliantly simulates his onstage presence and his distressing epeleptic fits. These fits along with the concoction of drugs Curtis takes to help cure them lead to a depression in his life. Curtis's troubles causes a great burden for his wife Deborah. Deborah then falls pregnant, and Ian is seen as detatched from the child. Frictions continue until Ian takes his own life.



Although the film is based on the life of the lead singer of a great Manchester band, it doesn't overkill the Manchester element. The storyline is simple but thrilling, focusing on what is going on in Curtis's head and not what is going on in the Manchester music scene. This personal element has been kept intact from the film's origins as Deborah Curtis's book 'Touching from a Distance' to the scripting by Prestwich writer Matt Greenhalgh. Because of this you seem to get more emotionally attached to the characters. Another compliment is the use of Joy Division's music throughout the movie. The songs add another dimention to Curtis's lyrics, and instead of being corny they emit Curtis's feelings, through the lyrics, to the Viewer.



You seem to get those films that win awards just because of the actors who star in it, or just because it's being talked about by the critics, but anyone who sees 'Control' will be able to understand why this film has recieved such Critical Acclaim. Sam Riley won 'Best British Performance' at the Edinburgh Film Festival and director Anton Corbijn won 'Best New British Feature' and 3 awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. The film also recieved the 'Most Popular feature Film' award at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Go and see it now!

Control