Slight Justice to a Mighty Figure

Rating: 6/10 (19 January 2008)

You'll see, Im a huge fan of New Order. And by consideration I learned some things about Joy Division, the group that led to New Order. Joy Division was led by Ian Curtis, a young singer with an integral soul, a poet, who sang stories of alienation, loneliness and devastation. He was a poet in the wrong bounds. His life was truly interesting. Just read the delicious songs of him and learn what lied behind him.
But what have we got here? I believe that if you presented me this movie bluntly, without saying the word "Joy Division", I would have not seen Ian Curtis in the film, just another biopic of a forgotten musician. The essence of the derailing, the soul that cannot keep with it's underling pressures and it's final blend: fame, drugs, and sensibility is not presented in an emotional, understandable way. Yes, sensibility. Ian Curtis was a sensible man; and the movie does a light, poetical justice to him. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a fine example of his insightful and paradoxical sovereignty over his feelings, that later would collapse.
First of all, black and white panoply unnecessary, as if the distraction for colors was utterly needed. It gives the film a pseudo-intellectual look , something that was disposable. Later, some theatrical, elaborated scenes took away from the film the simplicity I expected. Then Samantha Morton, Ian's wife. I don't see a character, a persona: I see a 35 year old actress dressed as a youngster. Maybe that's my own problem, but I can't get over her empty looks. The essence of Ian Curtis is somewhat inconsistent, making me feel uneven. Sam Riley does a nice interpretation, just nice. His demeanor and expressions wave me some despair, but not as in solitude, as in awkwardness. Some scenes jump to fast to their conclusion, without their valued insight: they marry too fast, they get into the band too fast. He lived to fast yes, but I guess that's no excuse.
I felt the movie entirely as if they did just a basic research over Curtis. Maybe I feel a blinding passion for his work and life that prohibits me to see further onto the movie's terms. You will like it, I believe. But Im explaining this as a review over Ian Curtis' life, over Joy Division, that I felt I ought over my consideration for him.
Anton Corbijin may be a good photographer, and he uses his working tricks to disguise this into an artsy film. Why is it that every biopic that comes out has to be deep, intelligent and the main has to get great credits? Im standing against "Control" to say this: -Could have been way better.