Control

A black-and-white downer that is overly literal, simple and, in fact, ordinary in every way. The female cast rules the roost, the rest, with the exception of the leading man, are worthless. I enjoyed the raw visuals and the attempt to authentically depict the 1970s, but the concerts lack zest and fail to captivate. Average film, but decent craftsmanship. (04/06/2023)

Never judge a book by its cover, and that goes double for this film. I was probably expecting something more emotional and depressing, and in the end... this is what I got. And what is "this" anyway?! A musical drama about an epileptic singer whose middle name is depression, and who is very much mired in it. Rather than Sam Riley, it was Samantha Morton, whom I first noticed in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, who impressed me with her performance. If Control was meant to evoke depression, it succeeded about 2/3rds of the way through, and much of that was due to the black and white portrayal. In short, a film that didn't meet all my expectations, resulting in some disappointment and a drop in rating. I believe the film got under the skin of many, but I was only slightly impressed. (24/09/2010)