#106 - Control

Directed by Anton Corbijn
2007 Biopic
Rated R

****

If No Country for Old Men, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, There Will Be Blood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Atonement were the top 5 films, cinematography-wise, of the year, then Anton Corbijn's Control, a biopic of Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis, is a very close sixth. Shot in absolutely beautiful black-and-white, it tells Curtis' story from the inception of Joy Division in 1973 to his suicide in 1980. While the film drags a bit in the middle, it's recommendable for Sam Riley's performance alone. He absolutely embodies Curtis, no more so than when he is on stage, getting every little movement perfect. Samantha Morton is nearly as good as Curtis' wife Deborah, seemingly the only one who never let herself get caught up in his celebrity. If you aren't a fan of Joy Division's music, or have never heard it, be wary going in; there are quite a few performance scenes. However, if you are a fan of Joy Division, or just post-punk in general, I can heartily recommend one of the best musical biopics i've ever seen.