This movie is the story history of Factory Records which created many great bands such as Joy Division/New Order and The Happy Mondays. It's kind of like "This is Spinal Tap" except that was fiction, this one is true. And that makes the funny parts in 24 hour party people even more funny because it's true!!! If you are a fan of the Britpop, Madchester or punk scenes then you should see this movie to get a sense of the scenes that music originated from.… Expand

Amazing performances and excellent direction make this one of the best films of the year. Any fan of New Wave and Electronic music can't miss this.

Responding to Jason D.'s comment, as a casual fan of Joy Division, New Order, and the Sex Pistols, but with no other real interest in the Manchester scene, I enjoyed the movie as a movie, but it tails off pretty dramatically in its second hour. Steve Coogan is entertaining throughout, though.

Fun and definitely worth seeing if you are a fan of any of the bands involved (New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, etc.); however, if you have no pre-existing interest in the Manchester scene, I'm not sure how this actually holds up as a movie.

Great Movie!

Could have been a lot better. The movie covers such a broad sweep of the history of the Manchester scene, a decade-and-a-half, that it can hardly do it justice in only about 2 hours. It would take a trilogy to give the viewer a sense of the sweep of history the movie covers. Instead what we get is a snippet here and a snipet of there of the most important dates in the history of Factory Records and the Hacienda. Steve Coogan is very good as Tony Wilson, but I didn't care much for the dialog he was given. Foreshadowing in a movie is a useful and SUBTLE device filmakers can use to tip off the viewer as to what is going to happen later in the film. I didn't care much for stopping the film so Coogan can tell us what is going to happen to the various characters around him, or that a certain outake not included in the movie may end up on the DVD version. This is supposed to be amusing I guess, but I wanted to relive the history the movie deals with. Meanwhile, we end up not learning all that much about anybody around Tony Wilson. In this sense, 24 Hour Party People comes across as an in-joke that might be inaccessible to people who are not familiar with any of the bands or the Manchester scene at all. I can only mildly recommend it to people who are fans of any of the bands featured (or not featured) in the movie. … Expand

If you rate this movie less than an 8, you are : 1) Not very cinematically informed, 2) Not very musically informed, and 3) Dead.

This was supposed to funny? I never comment on movies but this one deserves something and it is not the accolades heaped upon by critics. I watched it for an hour, went to the bathroom and decided surfing 57 channels with nothing on was more entertaining than this dog. My dog is more entertaining. A total waste of money.

Fantastic take on the Madchester scene! Steve Coogan is hilarious as Tony Wilson. I would have given it a 10 if it didn't try and cover so much in such short a time. The film skims too lightly over Ian Curtis & Joy Division, and I fear a casual fan or those unfamiliar with the history doesn't receive proper information.

This is a brilliant film. Steve Coogan gives one of the finest comedic performances in the cinema. You don't have to be obsessed with the type of bands featured in this film to truly get it. Is it possible for such a perfect film to fly under the radar and disappear into history without much buzz? MOST perfect films do this, until one point thirty or forty years in the future when they are suddenly "remembered." Don't miss your chance; check out this surprisingly brilliant movie!… Expand

Great look at the early punk scene in Manchester. I do agree with some of the user critics that the first half of the film is kind of slow but that critique is probably due to it's psuedo-documentary style (I found it compelling enough as a teen viewer however). Halfway through the running time of the film is when things start to pick up and the punk transforms from new wave and into the early rave scene. Loving electronica and being born in 86' and missing out on the early scene it was a great 'ear' opener albeit knowing all the artists featured. Steve Coogan's performance is truly original, one of the best i've seen lately in modern cinema. Don't see this if you're just looking for a comedy; If you're a fan of music, and can appreciate some oddball humor you won't be disappointed.… Expand

A sweet, funny glimpse of man, some great bands, a label and a club that rose, improbably, from grey, working class Manchester and became maybe the only genuine start-to-finish example of true Brit Punk ethos. Like an updated Camelot, with the King Arthur charachter replaced with Tony Wilson. Except without swords. Oh, and Tony Wilson's still alive and all.

The movie brilliant. don't get it? thats ok, but maybe you should read more.