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Control review
:. Director: Anton Corbijn
:. Starring: Samantha Morton, Sam Riley
:. Running Time: 2:02
:. Year: 2007
:. Country: USA
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I'm not sure that I'm the most objective critic to write about Control, a biopic about Joy Division's iconic singer, as I'm a huge fan of photographer-turned-filmmaker Anton Corbijn and grew up listening to the band's somber anthems.
In case you're not familiar with Joy Division, this was one of the most influential bands from the post-punk era and a pioneer of the Goth scene — even though purists will tell you they weren't Goth. Joy Division's music was marked by its haunting bass lines, dark melodies and the transcendent sense of gloom from baritone singer Ian Curtis. The band, whose sound has been a source of "inspiration" for legions of revisionist acts such as Interpol and Editors, would later morph into a mainstream electro-pop incarnation, New Order, following Curtis' suicide.
Focusing on the personal life of the singer, during his rise to fame, Control is based on a biographical book by his wife, played here by Samantha Morton. This version of his last days has been the subject of controversy, especially as Ms. Curtis owes him her share of grief. Following her words, the film brushes the portrait of a highly emotional man struggling with the burden of a fame that affected both his — physical and mental — health and marriage.
Chronicling Ian Curtis' life from the perspective of his wife is the heart of Control's originality, taking it away from clichéd music biopic paths to instead focus on a simple man, prisoner of the extraordinary figure he became. On the other hand, giving the narrative helms to a woman who only saw one side of the man and story, staying home "washing his underpants" — as she says — while he clearly had another personality onstage and on the road makes Control an incomplete — and some might argue biased — portrait.
For his debut behind the camera, Mr. Corbjin, who gave us some of the most emblematic pictures of the band in the 80's can certainly be credited with avoiding the traps of a photographer turned filmmaker. While he shoots the movie in glorious black and white, which echoes the pictures he took of the band, he never tries to over stylize his picture, focusing instead on storytelling and emotions. His direction is minimalist, preferring to spend time with the characters rather than filming performances (which he's done quite a bit with Depeche Mode and U2 among others). The intense performance by Sam Riley as Curtis certainly contributes to make this minimalism more vibrant, and the film conveys a sense of despair that will certainly move the fans of the band.
By going for this close-up of Curtis — the man rather than the myth — the film misses its mark when it comes to showing us what was great about this band and why they were so influential. This is clearly a biopic by fans and for the fans and, as much as I greatly enjoyed Control — and this is why I'm not the most objective person to talk about this — I'm not sure that this film will appeal and talk to spectators that are not familiar with Joy Division. Should a music biopic adopt an elitist approach to focus on hardcore fans or bring new followers by opening itself to a world like Oliver Stone's Doors? I'm not sure.
Extras: Beside the usual making-of, the DVD includes as an interview of Anton Corbjin, which is worth seeing as the photographer talks about his relationship with Joy Division. There are also a couple videos from Joy Division, The Killers and a few extended performances from the film, all these videos being quite anecdotal. More interesting are some stills from the film, which give a good idea of Mr. Corbjin's talent as a rock photographer.
Fred Thom
 Joy Division
24 Hour Party People
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