I normally don't like biopics about people who committed suicide, but this really struck me

Rating: Null/10 (4 July 2009)

Being a Joy Division fan, I wasn't crazy about seeing a film about someone whose talent I'm a huge fan of committing suicide. I was intrigued, however, by the director Anton Corbijn who was the man responsible for many of the photographs that we've seen on the band on stage. This is his directorial debut, unless you count his music videos, and I'm always interested to see the films of first-time directors.
I wasn't expecting the film to really tell me much about Ian Curtis or Joy Division, which is fine. All I really wanted was the film to tell a story. I didn't want to watch anything like WALK THE LINE, which, despite being a well made film, is just a plot less tribute piece that nobody can really enjoy unless they're a Johnny Cash fan. That was the main thing I was afraid of when sitting down to watch CONTROL. Needless to say, I was not disappointed in the least.
There isn't really much to say about the film in terms of what it's about. It pretty much details Ian Curtis's life and the rise of the Joy Division band from the perspective of Ian Curtis before depicting his complete disintegration and destruction all the way up to his suicide. To keep things interesting are the many people in his life which is what develops the plot.
Samantha Morton, in particular, is the main driving force in the life of the film as well as the voice of reason and she is the sole witness to all the pain and horror that constantly overshadows the film. His band members are also depicted much the same way, though without as much of the witnesses. They understand that he's in much pain but due to Ian Curtis's attitude they don't allow it to affect their lives as much which is what leads the band to a sort of semi-downfall, though they would later pick up and become New Order.
The thing is, the film is as much an art-film as it is a biopic. There is much attention granted to the visuals and the editing that gives the film a rather haunting and dreamlike quality, yet at the same time it lends the film a kind of gritty and uncommon sense of dread and sadness that makes the film feel a lot more personal and intimate than you would expect.
It's terrifying to watch at times knowing that it's based on a true story, but that was the aim of the film obviously. What struck me more about the film was how it didn't sugarcoat the cons of being part of that kind of lifestyle. I think because of this the film allows more humanity to shine, which is ultimately very much needed in this story. The film comes off truly beautifully because of this.
I think what a lot of people dislike about this film are the more artistic moments in which the film just lets things unfold naturally. There are a lot of really long takes and close-ups of many meditative moments. This doesn't make the film boring in the slightest because the tone of the film is so fascinating. The film is extremely slow-paced, but it helps to allow the viewer to digest the atmosphere of the time period so that you can really get into the story.
I think the other thing that a lot of people dislike about the film is the way that Ian Curtis and the band is depicted. It's not a very positive depiction, but I wouldn't call it negative either. Just, very human. I think people need to remember that this isn't a documentary, it's an artistic reinterpretation. It doesn't have to go by the facts because if it did there wouldn't be as much to appreciate in terms of human interaction. In addition, the film already is intimate enough.
This isn't a film for everyone. It's extremely depressing and gut-wrenching at times. It's a very bleak film and it really doesn't make you feel good about life. It's a very quiet and simple film and I understand that a lot of people want there to be a lot of depth with this kind of story when there really isn't any depth to it. Ian Curtis had some serious problems and when he couldn't take it anymore he committed suicide.
The film is unflinching and ultimately one of the most powerful biopics I've seen. So what if it doesn't have a good detailing of all the events of the time period like Michael Winterbottom's 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE? Even though I like 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE more than CONTROL, though I still love CONTROL. CONTROL is a powerful and very moving piece of film-making and I, for one, and very happy that I saw it.