Control (2007) Movie Review, Cast & Crew, Film Summary

Overlong, especially for such a morbid subject, and Anton Corbijn’s eye more than occasionally feels over-aestheticised and studied, compared to the knockabout grit of 24 Hour Party People. Another problem is that whilst it deftly contextualises and makes intelligible Ian Curtis’ life and suicide, unlike 24PP‘s glib rendition, it doesn’t really make you understand Curtis as an artist who wrote great, groundbreaking songs. It’s really just another portrait of a poetry-doodling sensitive lad who finds enablement of his fuck-ups in rock music – the depressive flipside to The Doors. Is Samantha Morton sick of playing this kind of part yet? But Sam Riley is fucking dynamite.