Anton Corbijn Loses Control

Rating: 2/10 (10 November 2014)

I don't know what I was expecting with this. After watching 24 Hour Party People - which is a fun if flawed take on Ian Curtis and Joy Division (at least in part) - I guess I was wanting to gain a deeper "insight" into Ian's life. This movie is so po-faced and serious, it actually squeezes every bit of fun and wonder out of the Joy Division mythos without granting any perception -- and as a disclaimer, I must admit that I've been a fan since the '80s. Control offers nothing deeper than a Smash Hits-era recounting of Ian's dark journey. I've read so many accounts of this tale that I found myself saying, 'Hey, that didn't actually happen!' more than once. Stark b&w photography adds to the gloom. This is a depressing and boring movie. A bad combination if you ask me.