Haunting...

Rating: 8/10 (1 June 2008)

This will be a short, hopefully concise review. I did not know Joy Division's work even though I was in my early twenties when they started to ascend. I always have loved music yet find stuff like The Cure and Depeche Mode not to my liking since it is darkly obtuse-that may explain my being unaware of Joy Division. That said, this movie seems brilliant in the way one becomes immediately drawn under the spell of both Curtis and Joy Division's music. Ian, though seemingly unaware of the audience, keeps the audience rapt. The music, though depressing, is very well played, the lyrics direct and as a result connects. We all had some of the same feelings, and not just as young adults. Unfortunately we have seen the effects too many times. Therefore it is relevant I'd say on some level with us all. As stated the movie brilliantly portrays what happens when mental illness and guilt derails the person. Nothing, short of addiction, is more insidious than mental illness and this is a sad document that should be seen as it pulls no punches and is truly haunting.