Control

Name: Control
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Released: October 10, 2007
Duration: 122 min
Rating: 78
Cast: Craig Parkinson, Sam Riley, Samantha Morton

2007

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 79 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 79 Ratings

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Control

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Movie Details & Credits

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: October 10, 2007 | R

Starring: Craig Parkinson, Sam Riley, Samantha Morton

Summary: Ian Curtis has aspirations beyond the trappings of small-town life in 1970s England. Wanting to emulate his musical heroes, such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop, he joins a band, and his musical ambition begins to thrive. Soon, though, the everyday fears and emotions that fuel his music slowly begin to eat away at him. Married young, with aIan Curtis has aspirations beyond the trappings of small-town life in 1970s England. Wanting to emulate his musical heroes, such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop, he joins a band, and his musical ambition begins to thrive. Soon, though, the everyday fears and emotions that fuel his music slowly begin to eat away at him. Married young, with a daughter, he is distracted from his family commitments by a new love and the growing expectations of his band, Joy Division. The strain manifests itself in his health. With epilepsy adding to his guilt and depression, desperation takes hold. Surrendering to the weight on his shoulders, Ian's tortured soul consumes him. (The Weinstein Company)… Expand

Director: Anton Corbijn

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Music

Rating: R

Runtime: 122 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Marc Savlov

Even though we're aware of the tragic trajectory of the singer's life, for a while it almost seems as if reality got it wrong and Curtis might just squeak past the reaper's scythe with no more than a shave and a haircut. Read full review

A.O. Scott

You don’t have to know anything about Joy Division to grasp the mysterious sorrow at its heart. Read full review

Peter Travers

It's Corbijn, shooting with a poet's eye in a harshly stunning black-and-white, who cuts to the soul of Ian's life and music. You don't watch this movie, you live it. Read full review

Gene Seymour

Control keeps you riveted in ways that "24 Hour Party People" doesn't, primarily because of the investment of craft and conviction by all concerned. Read full review

Ty Burr

The result is both a surprisingly lucid portrayal of clinical depression and dramatically a bit stiff. Read full review

James Berardinelli

In essence, Control is a standard order biopic of a tormented artist. What makes the film interesting, if not unique, is the style in which director Anton Corbijn has elected to present it. Read full review

LD Beghtol

Despite excellent performances from Samantha Morton, Craig Parkinson, and the radiant Toby Kebbell, along with a noble effort from pretty newcomer Sam Riley as Curtis himself, Control is like a wake where the guests forgot to bring the booze and, for the most part, have nothing very nice or even particularly interesting to say about the deceased. Read full review

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User Reviews

KyleB.

Aug 15, 2009

This movie was excellent. I love the fact that they over recorded the songs with the band that they had in the movie, this makes the movie alot more interesting by watching and listening to how perfectly they learned joy divisions music to play for this movie.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

WilliamG.

Nov 5, 2007

Brilliant. I loved it through and through.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

charles

Oct 30, 2007

Excellent film... as a JD fan, I thought it was done in a way that even non-JD fans could enjoy it. All of the actors playing the JD band members actually played their instruments and performed those songs... it wasn't just Reilly overdubbing vocals over original JD recordings! That is Excellent film... as a JD fan, I thought it was done in a way that even non-JD fans could enjoy it. All of the actors playing the JD band members actually played their instruments and performed those songs... it wasn't just Reilly overdubbing vocals over original JD recordings! That is something that really impresses me about the skills of the actors chosen for the band. True, Curtis was a genius, but he was also human... I felt this film was grounded in reality without trying to evangelize/make a martyr out of Curtis.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

MattA

Jun 22, 2008

Beautifully shot. Superb Performances by all characters. A great biopic about a true music innovator and legend, who was not perfect by any means. The only problem with this movie is that the screenplay is a bit drawn out, and the pacing is a bit off. A great movie to watch, made better if Beautifully shot. Superb Performances by all characters. A great biopic about a true music innovator and legend, who was not perfect by any means. The only problem with this movie is that the screenplay is a bit drawn out, and the pacing is a bit off. A great movie to watch, made better if you are familiar with the band's works.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Andys_Reviews

May 25, 2013

Shot entirely in black and white I found this film very atmospheric and it also had a gritty realism about it. I thought all the performances were excellent with both Sam Riley and Samantha Morton taking top honours. I also have to give a mention to Toby Kebbell who totally stole a couple ofShot entirely in black and white I found this film very atmospheric and it also had a gritty realism about it. I thought all the performances were excellent with both Sam Riley and Samantha Morton taking top honours. I also have to give a mention to Toby Kebbell who totally stole a couple of scenes with some great over-the-top one-liners. The story is primarily told from Debbie’s point of view and as such we get a very interesting look at the life of this enigmatic soul. This film inspired me to go out and buy a Joy Division greatest hits CD and it’s music that’s always been close to my heart. I should mention that all the live performances portrayed in the film were performed by the actors and so hat’s off to them for making it real. Whether you were a fan of the band or not I’m sure you’ll get something out of this one. Be warned though, it’s quite a tough watch, even when you do know the outcome.

SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED

My score: 8.4/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

THATMOVEGUY

Nov 3, 2007

Control, above all else, truly captures the total apathy towards life necessary in any person's mind to take their own life. It's a journey into something beyond despair, and like one of the above journalists said "you don't watch this movie, you live it". As a Joy Division Control, above all else, truly captures the total apathy towards life necessary in any person's mind to take their own life. It's a journey into something beyond despair, and like one of the above journalists said "you don't watch this movie, you live it". As a Joy Division fan, I was a little frustrated that they only really concentrated on the band's earlier stage, but as a film, it actually works to the director's end this way. The cinematography really struck me from the beginning of the film, each shot was just really perfect, as the film goes on the shots make less and less sense, which adds to the "mood", or more correctly, the utter lack of. Sam Riley should get an Oscar nomination for this performance, beyond brilliant through the whole film. Samantha Morton also plays her part terrifically. I Corbijn would have highlighted the "fun" times of the band (if there were any), something that showed them really excited about what they were doing. The movie really puts Joy Division as SUCH as side note to Curtis' story that it actually took away from the realism to me, at least a little bit. The timing of some of the songs at certain key scenes, seemed to come in too soon also. It gave me a feeling of the story being rushed by, where there could have beens more space to allow events to sink in with the audience more. Aside from these minor qualms, the key point about "Control" to me, was it's sterility. I left the theatre feeling utterly distraught, without any of the emotion that Curtis spent his short career expressing so beautifully. This, to me, is the movies greatest flaw and strength, depending on how you react to it, or just choose to view it. In reflection, I admire the boldness of the film, and not turning it into just another musician biopic. Probably worth seeing, but whether you are stunned by the films' artistry and power or just drained of all life by the end, is just a matter of chance. I find myself somewhere in between.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

RogueM.

Oct 27, 2007

I hated this piece of pretentious rubbish.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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