Control (The Miriam Collection)

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

The Skinny: Control is based on the blink-and-you-missed-it life of Ian Curtis, former lead singer for seminal late-'70s alterna-mopers Joy Division. Curtis (Sam Riley) marries his childhood sweetheart (Samantha Morton), discovers he has epilepsy, has a kid, becomes a rock star, and commits suicide—all before turning 23.

Reminded Us Of… 24 Hour Party People, most musician biopics, the black and white photography of Anton Corbijn (the movie's director, so it stands to reason).

The Good: Riley is so completely convincing that the movie almost feels like a documentary. That Curtis' problems weren't drug-related (well, not recreationally anyway) is refreshing in a story like this, and the knowledge of his untimely death gives everything a sense of gloom that fits Joy Division's music perfectly.

The Bad: Pacing is a little slow, and lacks any sense of the joy before the fall. While the gloomy tone works for the most part, everyone seems to be in a constant state of mourning right from the beginning, so when things turn really bad you barely notice.

Casting Era: Riley played the Fall frontman Mark E. Smith in 24 Hour Party People, a movie that also touched on the early days of Joy Division (among other bands)—hence the "at least you aren't the lead singer of the Fall" joke in Control.

Best Extra: The interview with director Corbijn (who actually photographed Joy Division shortly before Curtis' death) is interesting, but the best extra is the actual live recording of the band from a British TV show. You can see for yourself how incredibly Riley channels Curtis.