The thing about biopics is that to be able to enjoy them, the subject either must've had a very interesting life, that you emotionally connect with the subject or that you were already a fan of said subject, unfortunately for me of the three, only the emotional connection was present and even that wasn't that big.

So I did enjoy this but not that much; nevertheless the quality of the film alone is why I give this film three stars, the film looks beautiful, and the black and white with the superb sound specially from the live performances makes this film seem so real.

I'm amazed that with this film and Brighton Rock that Sam Riley hasn't made it to Hollywood yet, he is really good.

Second Week of Adapted April Challenge

Again, I haven't read the book from which this movie was adapted, but I've read somethings about Ian Curtis life and since I'm a big Joy Division fan I really enjoyed this movie.

The movie is really beautiful, with a good use of black and white and the acting is really great. Specially the lead, who plays Curtis.

Although I think you'll enjoy more this film if you're a Joy Division fan, I think you can really appreciate this movie for what it is, since the film is really well made and you can connect to the characters.

Very well-made and effective film about the troubled career and too-short life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis. Anton Corbijn's direction is excellent and Sam Riley brings wonderful depth to the role of Curtis. While the film isn't stunning or exceptional, it is a more-than-decent biopic made by the right people in the right way. Superb.

I can't say enough good things about this. There is a light, genuine rawness to the film that Corbijn has directed. Sam Riley puts in a wonderful performance as Ian Curtis - tender, emotional, heavy - along with a perfectly sufficient surrounding cast. Corbijn's choice to film in B&W is interesting from the outside, but after seeing the film, it just feels...natural. It feels right for the subject. The characters were stuck in that era, but Corbijn doesn't sacrifice any clarity or cinematography by cutting out the color. Smoke wisps and lighting are more dramatic and notable than they would have ever been. A fantastic film that needs to be seen.

The story of one of music’s brightest stars, Joy Division, is as blistering in its brevity as it is in its honesty. Sam Riley is amazing as Ian, lead singer of the band who came to be synonymous with all that is amazing in post punk, and in music in general. Riley doesn’t concern himself with strict character impersonations, which makes his performance all the more powerful, but when he is on stage during the concert sequences it’s uncanny. Corbijn is a music director at heart, and his film beats with a pulse all its own. Shot in black and white, Corbijn captures bleakness and isolation amid the English countryside. Another one that should be on any music lover’s must see list, Control is a glimpse beneath the surface of one of rock’s most enigmatic and powerful forces.

I was most impressed by the sound of the live music in this film. They made great use of the room sound, which really put the music into the space, rather than flattening everything out as more commonly happens. It also helped that the actors learned to play the songs and performed them live for the camera. I've also long been a fan of Corbijn's contrasted black & white photography, which he successfully translates to film here. Fantastic.

I can't say enough good things about this. There is a light, genuine rawness to the film that Corbijn has directed. Sam Riley puts in a wonderful performance as Ian Curtis - tender, emotional, heavy - along with a perfectly sufficient surrounding cast. Corbijn's choice to film in B&W is interesting from the outside, but after seeing the film, it just feels...natural. It feels right for the subject. The characters were stuck in that era, but Corbijn doesn't sacrifice any clarity or cinematography by cutting out the color. Smoke wisps and lighting are more dramatic and notable than they would have ever been. A fantastic film that needs to be seen.

A biopic on Ian Curtis of Joy Division. I liked that it was all in black and white, it looked great and the performances (acting and music) were fantastic. I wish the love triangle aspect wasn't so much in the forefront in the second half, but still loved it.

(i just wanted to put a tag dont make me write a review)

Film 4 of the Adapted April Challenge

This really didn't do it for me.

It is slow moving, not particularly interesting and I really had a hard time paying attention.

It all just felt too quiet and contemplative and I really didn't care about the story.

Whilst the biopic draws from emotion, I was not even born when Curtis died, so I have no connection to the music, and no sympathy for him.

He may have been a young prodigy in the making, however he was seriously not a well man.

I loved the style of the film, some of the shots in Macclesfield certainly resemble a time forgotten in England. A great cast, especially Samantha Morton.

If you're a fan of Joy Division, I'm sure you'll love this, if you're a fan of biopics, you may find some pleasure here. I was to glad when it finished.

Second Week of Adapted April Challenge

Again, I haven't read the book from which this movie was adapted, but I've read somethings about Ian Curtis life and since I'm a big Joy Division fan I really enjoyed this movie.

The movie is really beautiful, with a good use of black and white and the acting is really great. Specially the lead, who plays Curtis.

Although I think you'll enjoy more this film if you're a Joy Division fan, I think you can really appreciate this movie for what it is, since the film is really well made and you can connect to the characters.

Control perfectly depicts Curtis as a complicated man and offers few judgements to his short but fascinating life, neither lionising or condemning him. Riley and Morton deserve huge plaudits for their carefully essayed performances, while Corbijn's bleak but beautiful direction fits the story like a glove.