Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (15)
Gives you plenty of reasons to be cheerful*
Where?
At the Empire cinema at Tower Park
Plot?
The biopic of eccentric 70’s-80’s rocker Ian Dury, who had to fight through childhood of suffering polio, and then years later faced another struggle, having to balance both his band and family commitments.
Thoughts?
Opening with a flurry of quick cut editing alongside a dizzying cocktail of animation and live action, many viewers will be begging only a few minutes in for the the film to slowdown so they can catch up.
Luckily for those easily susceptible to migraines it does. But throughout this biopic there are enough flashes of the films manic opening to keep you engaged with ease.
This film is eager to show you some of Dury’s more bizarre mannerisms, but it is more than eager to go further under his skin to show you why he was a man who was always fighting back against difficult circumstances.
Not eager to offer you a straightforward, clear cut three act structure, the film ambitiously blends flashbacks from Dury’s troubled past with the highpoints of his career to impressive effect. It helps to create a rambunctious but surprisingly coherent tale.
But easily the most convincing element of this biopic is Ian Serkis’ as Dury himself. Stepping into such a maverick and unique character must have been a huge challenge, but Serkis pulls off a totally believable version of Dury on and off the music stage, but never slips into offering a one-note impersonation. His skill is making us see him as Dury, and not simply as an actor playing him, and for this he deserves all the inevitable Oscar speculation.
Ray Winstone (Dury’s soft spoken father), Naomie Harris (his loving but emotionally torn assistant) and Bill Milner (his confused son) all offer up solid support, but much like Dury himself, no-one out performs the main man.
The film doesn’t cover everything however, and those uninitiated in Dury lore may not be convinced, that he is worth his own film. At least a little knowledge of Dury’s exploits are a necessity here.
And for hardcore fans, there may not be enough of Dury’s actual music and gigs shown, with a surprising lack of coverage of the actual songs and records being made that made his legacy.
As well as this the film does feel a little stretched, and could have done with exorcising some seemingly superfluous scenes to cut down the near two hour running time.
But excess baggage (of the emotional kind) is the overiding impression you get from Dury, so this is quite a fitting flaw.
Despite being an occasionally frustrating and flawed persona, Dury was capable of entertaining in a way that was funny as well as moving. The same can be said of this admirable effort at documenting him.
Verdict?
A bumpy ride, but one worth taking thanks to Serkis’ great performance and Whitecross’ assured and unique direction. (3/5)
Go further…
· With this and Nowhere Boy, as well as Telstar from last year the British film industry seems on a roll making solid music biopics.
· Ian Serkis seems to have a future in voice-overs if his film career goes downhill- he can not only do Dury gravelly tones, but he has also lended his vocals for the voice of Gollum in Lord of the Rings.
Haiku Summary…
Eccentric story,
Made by people who love it,
Enjoyable stuff!
Second Opinions?
Times writer Kevin Maher thought Serkis was convincing, perhaps unerringly so, in this article-
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6942759.ece
Mark Kermode thinks Serkis’ performance goes beyond mere impersonation, in this video-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spopVKc9vMk&NR=1
Trailer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMKjx8ilLCY
*Other obvious taglines included- Hit Me With Your Decent Film Stick, Back to Blighty For Another Music Biopic, Just a Load of Cacka Boom?, Does This Have Delusions of Grandeur?, Will Make You Happy Hippy, and What a Waste (if the film was bad).
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