Control has revived my belief in the medium of cinema, it is a beautiful film about the short life of Ian Curtis who was the lead singer with the band Joy Division.

Joy division were a band I never really got around to listening to for some reason, except for their well known song ‘Love Will tear Us Apart‘, and I had no knowledge of Ian Curtis prior to seing the film. This means two things, firstly that my love of the film had nothing to do with any prior love for the man or his music, and secondly that I can’t tell you how close to reality the film is.

However I can tell you that this film feels extremely honest.

Control is based on a book written by Deborah Curtis, Ian Curtis’s wife, and she is also credited as a co-producer, also the original members of the band, now known as New order, did the score - however Deborah Curtis is not reported to have liked the film.

The film presents what comes across as a very balanced picture of Ian Curtis, and those around him, with the bad in everyone presented along with the good.

Above all this film paints a portrait of a man - unlike biopics such as Walk the Line or Ray which seem only to serve to perpetuate the legends.

Director Anton Corbijn does a magnificent job in beautifully gritty black and white, the cast are superb, the music (often performed by the cast) is excellent and the script is wonderful. If I had the tiniest criticism it would be the one or two overly comic moments which don’t seem to fit.

Sam Riley, playing Curtis, does an incredible job of presenting both a mesmerising on stage presence and, off stage, an ordinary young man struggling with his illness, fame and relationships.

This film strips away the bullshit associated with fame and deals sensitively with it’s tragic subject matter which is all too often either glorified or tip-toed around.

I can’t recommend this film enough. May it never again be said I hate everything…