Review of Control (2013) by Alexandra G — 02 Oct 2009

It's a huge challenge to tell the story of a life (albeit a short one) in only about two hours. That said, I believe Corbijn did a great job with this movie. Curtis is portrayed as a weak person, a troubled young father, tormented both by agonizing depression and his worsening physical condition. Control, as the above lyrics of their song "Heart and Soul" express, was something, he felt was missing. Sam Riley does a wonderful job as Curtis and I also liked the movie's visual style and how it managed to capture the music of Joy Division.

But above all, I loved how it was actually able to convey a genuine feeling of involvement, of total exposure, solitude, anguish and regret, how it was able to tear me (along with the main character) between wanting and having to. All though it was in black and white, it managed to show that everything there is in life is actually neither one nor the other.