Review of Control (2007) by Thatmoveguy — 03 Nov 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 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.