Tribeca 2010: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
During the opening scene of Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll I was instantly reminded of the film Bronson. Of course this film is a biopic on the lead singer of a punk rock band and Bronson is about a notorious criminal who lived most of his life in solitary confinement. However the characters do relate in their struggle to find a comfortable identity and the films are similar in style. They both are presented in in a way where part of the film is a conventional narrative and the other part is a reflection of what is going on inside the minds of these conflicted men.
This parallel storytelling technique worked moderately well in Bronson but fails to propel the dramatic story of Ian Dury's life. Dury contracts polio early in his childhood and from that loses the ability to use his left leg for the rest of his life. Not surprisingly he deals with his anger at this misfortune by embracing the things that make him feel better, namely the activities in the title. This title also happened to become the name of what would become his most famous song.
The highlight of this film is the performance of Serkis as Dury. Serkis embodies the role with passion and rage but also sentiment specifically during the scenes with his son of whom he has his closest relationship with. My biggest qualm with this film is the choppy editing that left me as dazed and unsure of where I was going as the lead character. The technique that worked pretty well in Bronson simply does not work here. Olivia Williams plays his wife and Ray Winstone appears as his father but neither role is given any sort of depth. These characters are only in the film because they existed in his life.
As a look into the condition of a psychologically troubled punk rocker this film has a lot to be desired. Anton Corbijn's Control is a superior film in every regard. The mere fact that I am comparing this work to other films as what it should have or could have been pretty much says it all. I came out of this movie feeling very little and learning nothing more than that Andy Serkis is a better actor than I thought.
2/5
