Monkey Number 1 Says

In 2007 a British Ian Curtis biopic called Control, based on material from Deborah Curtis's book Touching from a Distance was released. It was directed by rock photographer Anton Corbijn, perhaps best known for the videos he directed for Depeche Mode, U2, and The Killers. Deborah Curtis and former Factory Records head Anthony Wilson were executive producers. Relatively unknown actor Sam Riley, the lead singer of band 10000 Things, portrays Curtis, while Samantha Morton plays his wife, Deborah. The film had its debut at the Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2007 to great acclaim, taking three awards at the Director's Fortnight. It portrays Curtis's secondary school romance with Deborah, their marriage at a young age, his struggle to balance his domestic life against his rise to fame with Joy Division, and his struggle with poorly medicated epilepsy and depression.

Perhaps my favorite film so film so far from the festival. I've cut and pasted above, because I knew little of Ian Curtis' story. From a purely visual perspective - this film was stunning. It brought grey, blearly England to the forefront to the extent that it was almost a character. The film moved wonderfully, and left little unanswered/examined. You felt the end coming, yet had grown attached enough to the main character that you were bothered by the waste that was his suicide. I wonder about why that is, because he isn't portrayed in a way that should truly make you feel for him. He steals from old ladies, cheats on his wife, and isn't much of a father; yet I still found myself liking him. Odd sensation that. Anyhow, I ramble too much - go rent this, preferably watch it in widescreen format, and turn down the lights. This is a beautifully shot film that shouldn't be missed.