Though I've never been to Manchester, I owe much of who I am today to the subjects of this film. I was six years old when the punk scene began, but caught up to it in my early teens. I spent most of my early teen years listening to Joy Division, New Order, and the like. Towards my late teens I moved on, and evolved, as did Manchester, into the acid house and early rave scene (though my raving days were in San Francisco). So, of course, when I heard about this movie I couldn't wait to see it.
Having said all that, I found this movie to be quite disappointing. Though it told us throughout the film that the birth and evolution of the Manchester scene was a historical event it failed to show us the true energy and excitement. It is a film about Factory Records, but it seems to intentionally avoid creating a sense of what the punk-then new wave-then acid house subculture was about. Factory records was obviously created out of a passion that is all but missing here. The story line is incoherent, though not in the avant-garde way that i believe it was meant to be. If you didn't spend the eighties living off the music that was the Manchester scene, don't expect to learn anything about it from this film. If you did, like I did, then there will be parts inspired by the soundtrack that will instigate a great longing for the days, when underground really was.
There are some good points that should be noted. The portrayal of Ian Curtis is amazing. And the dancing Happy Mondays guy and shots of the Hacienda crowd while Voodoo Ray is playing will, for a moment, take you back.. But, be warned, the comedown is harsh.
Recommend the movie? No. Buy the soundtrack? Definitely!
Having said all that, I found this movie to be quite disappointing. Though it told us throughout the film that the birth and evolution of the Manchester scene was a historical event it failed to show us the true energy and excitement. It is a film about Factory Records, but it seems to intentionally avoid creating a sense of what the punk-then new wave-then acid house subculture was about. Factory records was obviously created out of a passion that is all but missing here. The story line is incoherent, though not in the avant-garde way that i believe it was meant to be. If you didn't spend the eighties living off the music that was the Manchester scene, don't expect to learn anything about it from this film. If you did, like I did, then there will be parts inspired by the soundtrack that will instigate a great longing for the days, when underground really was.
There are some good points that should be noted. The portrayal of Ian Curtis is amazing. And the dancing Happy Mondays guy and shots of the Hacienda crowd while Voodoo Ray is playing will, for a moment, take you back.. But, be warned, the comedown is harsh.
Recommend the movie? No. Buy the soundtrack? Definitely!