ControlSynopsis and Overview

Poster art for "Control."

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  • Control
  • Opened October 10, 2007 | Runtime:2 hr. 1 min.
  • R
    language and brief sexuality
  • In 1970s England, troubled musician Ian Curtis (Sam Riley) rises to fame as lead singer of the band Joy Division. A husband and father, Curtis begins to feel the strain of his band's growing fortune, his crumbling marriage to wife Deborah (Samantha Read More
  • Cast: Samantha Morton, Sam Riley, Alexandra Maria Lara, Joe Anderson, Toby Kebbell
  • Director: Anton Corbijn
  • Genres: Art House/Foreign, Documentary, Drama, Music/Performing Arts

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Control Recent Fan Reviews

  • Must Go!

    CONTROL

    I really enjoyed this movie. I've been a big Joy Division fan for years, so the scenes of the writing and performing of some of the songs were awesome. But the movie is actually really about getting not so much into Ian's head, but showing some of the torment he went through dealing with his epilepsy, the demands of his band becoming more successful, and the tug of war beetween his wife and his mistress and being "torn between two lovers" to quote a cheesy song. The movie was shot beautifully in black and white and particular scenes were just really cinematically beautiful. As anyone who's ever listened to Joy Divisions music knows, it goes without saying that Control is not going to be a light cheerful happy ending kind of movie, but also anyone whos gone through the trials and tribulations that come with any sort of romantic relationship, some of the scenes wlll really strike a chord with you and hit you in the gut. I definately reccomend this movie.

  • Must Go!

    This movie is amazing!!!

    by jenmoz

    I am an obsessive Ian Curtis / Joy Division fan, and have written my Master's Thesis on the Manchester scene of this time period. This movie perfectly captures the life and times of the singer's life, as well as the mood of the city. BRAVO!

  • MUST NOT LOSE "CONTROL"

    by zaklina

    This is the first time I took the time to review a movie but after seeing "Control" last night, I have to spread the word. This is a MUST SEE movie for any music fan who has been influenced by punk rock, post-punk rock, and music in general. As a huge Joy Division fan, I thought this was the best biopic based on Ian Curtis' short life. The acting was brilliant and very realistic. It's obvious that the amazing director, Anton Corbijn, is a fan like any other fan of Joy Division that often wondered what drove Ian to take his own life. The story really captures the pressures Ian faced with the band, his personal life, and the daily struggle dealing with his Epilepsy. I felt like I was eavesdropping on his life and not really watching a movie. The soundtrack is awesome and the live performances of Warsaw and Joy Division are chilling; the actors really morphed into the characters they were portraying in this wonderful film. I am anxiously awaiting the dvd; do not miss this movie!

Control Critic Reviews

Go Avg. Critic Score out of 100 Metascore ® based on all critic ratings.

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 90
    The New York Times | A.O. Scott

    You don't have to know anything about Joy Division to grasp the mysterious...

  • 88
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    It's Corbijn, shooting with a poet's eye in a harshly stunning black-and-white,...

  • 88
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Steven Rea

    Control doesn't claim to know the reasons Curtis killed himself. The act of...

  • 88
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    One of the most perceptive of rock music biopics.

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