Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

[opas]

It's a shame but I decided not to risk it today. I also had tickets for Cineworld West India Quay but with all that black ice it would have been a nightmare to drive or even get home on the bus. I was slipping and sliding all over the pavement earlier on! Ironic thing is that yesterday I made it all the way to Shepherds Bush in West London which is about an hour from my home and Cineworld WIQ is probably my closest cinema.

I was hoping that they may offer an alternative screening date to those with SFF tickets who couldn't make it but I don't think there is much chance of that. Anyway hope all those that made it enjoy it, I was looking forward to watching the film.

[Beate]

Oh my God, how cold is it now? I am absolutely froze, I sat in the cinema with my coat on although it wasn't that bad, but coming out!!! Very slippery too, but apart from that absolutely no problem getting to and from the venue. In fact, we were very early as I had been let loose from the office early, and the usher (I think it's the same one every time!) sent us to the till first to verify or count us or whatever. Luckily the guy at the till put him straight! Honestly, he should know by now!

After a slow start it was a good turnout, although by no means full. And it is worrying how attached some people are to their mobiles. One guy in front of us was on the phone until literally a second before the film started, when he finally packed it away. Just as well, I would have thumped him otherwise, I was in the mood for it!

Film is a little strange. There were scenes where they were singing and driving around in their "Danger Inflammable" Van which I absolutely didn't rate, and other scenes dealing with his disability and his childhood that had me gripped. I knew nothing about Ian Dury's life and I thought Andy Serkis was excellent, as was Bill Milner (Son of Rambow, Is Anybody There?) as his son, with whom it looked like history (of bullying) was repeating itself. Other people like Ray Winstone or Olivia Williams were woefully underused though.

All in all a 6/10 I think. "I am Spasticus!"

Btw, one couple walked out after 75 minutes.

[baty]

Did make it to see the film - glad I did. 7.5/10 OH liked it as it wasn't an American film
.
Film is a bit quirky with lots of flashbacks and I wanted to know more about his childhood. There were scenes which jumped around a bit and of course I kept waiting for the songs.
Like Beate I thought "Andy Serkis was excellent, and Bill Milner .

Very cold in Cardiff and the side roads are very slippery maybe that's why it wasn't even half full.

[whoissalma]

Saw this at Manchester Odeon and really glad I didn't let the snow keep me away.

I know very little about punk and nothing about Ian Dury but I really enjoyed the film. It seemed to encapsulate the madness of the music and was both sad and funny in parts. Seen quite a bit of dross over xmas and this is a refreshing change and one of those movies that sticks in your head. Good soundtrack too

[Beate]

The only thing is that the timeline didn't seem right, headlines said "early 70s" or "early 80s", but the kid always seemed to stay the same age, and the flashback made it a bit difficult to follow the plot.

[Beate]

Just found this, I didn't know there was a special screening!

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100106/te ... 8abb3.html

Special screening of Ian Drury film
57 mins ago

Andy Serkis praised the family of the late Ian Dury, saying he could not have played the musician in new biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll without their help and support.

The Lord Of The Rings star hosted a special screening of the film at the Screen On The Green cinema in Islington where he was joined by the cast of the film, star guests including Coldplay's Chris Martin and Dury's friends and family.

Serkis said: "It wasn't daunting because we had so much help from Ian's family, all the time we had them at our shoulder and they really helped to inform the whole process really.

"But I've always felt very close to Ian's take on things and the way he thinks about the world, so I suppose I felt quite in tune with it."

But the 45-year-old actor said having Dury's widow Sophie and his son Baxter present on set, along with members of the Blockheads, did feel like added pressure at times.

He said: "I remember once when we were shooting at Vauxhall Palace, we were shooting the live concert bit and that was quite nerve wracking because Sophie came up and adjusted my scarf. Ian used to tie his scarf in a very particular way and Sophie came up and adjusted my scarf just as I was about to do the opening number. That was particularly nerve wracking because it suddenly brought sharp relief that they were there watching."

Serkis met the Blockheads' frontman before his death from cancer in 2000 and has described him as an "obnoxious" character.

He said: "The beauty of Ian as a character is that he's a million different things to different people and that was brought out by talking to his family, because he could be very sweet and gentle and very loving and compassionate and then he'd flip like a coin and be very visceral and nasty.

"But that came from being a very creative, driven man who got beaten around and loves to demonstrate and feel all those things. And yes, when I met him he wasn't particularly nice."

Director Mat Whitecross also praised the family for their help and support, saying that when they were sent the first draft of the script they were unhappy with it as they felt it did not show how truly "nasty" Dury could be.

[prettyxcool]

I saw this tonight with OH in Covent Garden Odeon. Cinema was half full, may be the snow kept people away. Streets really quiet too for West End, hardly anyone about. A very interesting biopic but quite heavy going for two hours - a couple of people left before the end. I thought Andy Serkis was spot on as Ian Drury and the sound track was good. We gave it 7.5/10.

[Spanner]

29 people at the metrocente.
don't be fooled by my previous glowing reviews of the cinema, the cheap seats are small and no legroom so i got cramp half way thru.
okay onto film.... i hate ian dury and the blockhead and i hates this film 1/10 for me. boyf loves ian dury and the blockheads so 8.5/10 for him. not impressed with the experimental style of the film, not enough about his musical career for hard core fans and not enough interest or depth of characters for those interested in the storyline (ooo get me with my almost proper review) err that's it, it's pants. 1/10 stands

[Ms Thrifty]

OH and I were supposed to see this on Friday and I was already not exactly keen. Now, however, having noted Beate's rating and Spanner's hilarious comments, I am quite hoping that the snow will let me off the hook...

[yogi]

Saw this last night in Manchester. Probably half full cinema.

Beate summed it up quite well, Andy Serkis and the kid from Son of Rambow were very good, and the style and structure is a bit all over the place.

Maybe the manic graphics and multiple flashbacks were in some supposed to reflect Dury's life or character, in the same way that the black and white, pace and style of Control seemed to fit with Ian Curtis, but I found it made it hard to engage with the story.

Some of the best bits were the stiller moments that focused on his disability, both as a child and later when he returned as an adult and had the jam with the children.

It also fell into a few of the biopic cliches troubled childhood, can't maintain a relationship etc which although true seem to appear in most musicians stories.

Not great, but enough in the music and main performances to make it worth catching if you have a more than a passing interest in the man.