In the states, Ian Dury is mostly unknown, especially now. He was a UK rocker who came out of the pub circuit. He was the most unlikely of rock stars, stricken with polio and possessed of a less than tuneful voice. Still, the music is well crafted and other than the film title some may remember the clever "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick". Andy Serkis does an amazing job as Dury, he catches his ugliness, his drive, his indifference and his fury. They don't make musicians like Dury anymore, and thats a pity. He was an original. The film gets a bit confusing jumping from the present to the past, but stay with it. If you've never heard of Dury, read up & listen before you watch this. Otherwise, I think this is a faithful film about a difficult person but one who contributed well to popular culture. R.I.P. Ian.
31 Reviews
Not a waste
Lejink16 October 2011
Ian Dury's span of popular success in the UK only lasted a few years and I can't say I was over-familiar with either his work (bar the early hit singles and albums) but this film belied my fear that perhaps there wasn't much of a story to tell. In fact, it probably over-compensates by adopting a non-linear narrative approach as well as some arty-farty jump-cuts and tricksy animation sequences to inject a knockabout feel to proceedings.
This is again a somewhat contrived and forced contrast to the bathetic scenes of Dury's growing up as a young boy, abandoned by his father, bullied at school by his class-mates and one particular teacher, his adult predilection for treating his womenfolk very badly indeed and finally the difficult relationship with his own son Baxter, who has since become a recognised musician in his own right.
I felt the scenes with the two women in his life, his wife and mistress were a bit overwrought and overwritten, their dialogue too forced and you're always anticipating an inspired pearl of wit or wisdom from Dury when real life just doesn't work that way, even with clever bastard word-smiths like him. It's like expecting Shakespeare to curse and moan in rhyming couplets if he was having an argument - my point is we know that Ian Dury had a way with words but not every minute of the day.
All that said, the film rattled along and certainly did the man's musical legacy proud. I thought a bit more could have been done to play up the importance of Chaz Jankel and his nifty tune-spinning - certainly Dury was a lot less successful when writing to someone else's melodies. Andy Serkus is great in the Dury role, he looks and talks the part very well, acts his disability imperceptibly and keeps up the characterisation right into the songs, of which many are aired.
For some reason the film misses out about the last 15 years of his life and we don't even get to know how he died, although the director may claim that the film was a celebration of his life and won't be the last bio-pic to fast forward past the more mundane parts of an artist's life. For that reason, the first half of the film as he struggles for success is better than the inevitable rock-star excess in the second half, where Dury's persona becomes a bit blurred.
All told though, I quite enjoyed it but regret somewhat that the director felt the need to jazz up his subject's life in a way that I'm not sure a no-bullshit guy like Dury would altogether appreciate.
This is again a somewhat contrived and forced contrast to the bathetic scenes of Dury's growing up as a young boy, abandoned by his father, bullied at school by his class-mates and one particular teacher, his adult predilection for treating his womenfolk very badly indeed and finally the difficult relationship with his own son Baxter, who has since become a recognised musician in his own right.
I felt the scenes with the two women in his life, his wife and mistress were a bit overwrought and overwritten, their dialogue too forced and you're always anticipating an inspired pearl of wit or wisdom from Dury when real life just doesn't work that way, even with clever bastard word-smiths like him. It's like expecting Shakespeare to curse and moan in rhyming couplets if he was having an argument - my point is we know that Ian Dury had a way with words but not every minute of the day.
All that said, the film rattled along and certainly did the man's musical legacy proud. I thought a bit more could have been done to play up the importance of Chaz Jankel and his nifty tune-spinning - certainly Dury was a lot less successful when writing to someone else's melodies. Andy Serkus is great in the Dury role, he looks and talks the part very well, acts his disability imperceptibly and keeps up the characterisation right into the songs, of which many are aired.
For some reason the film misses out about the last 15 years of his life and we don't even get to know how he died, although the director may claim that the film was a celebration of his life and won't be the last bio-pic to fast forward past the more mundane parts of an artist's life. For that reason, the first half of the film as he struggles for success is better than the inevitable rock-star excess in the second half, where Dury's persona becomes a bit blurred.
All told though, I quite enjoyed it but regret somewhat that the director felt the need to jazz up his subject's life in a way that I'm not sure a no-bullshit guy like Dury would altogether appreciate.
Serkis is no Blockhead!!!
madandbad12 January 2010
The magnetic performance of Andy Serkis is reason alone to watch this film! Masterly performance! The film itself held my interest throughout... but having bought Dury's stuff on 7" vinyl when it came out, I had a vested interest!!! People unfamiliar with the man and his music might struggle to last the pace.
I would have liked the movie to have paid more attention to the great chart success the man had... rather than just fast forwarding to the ensuing self-destruct mode of fame!!! Missed opportunity... one could indeed say What a Waste!!! Interested in British music history... success over adversity... controversy... go and see it. A fan of Dury and the Blockheads... go and pay homage.
Might have been better... but still a great tribute to a great artiste, and well worth a view!
I would have liked the movie to have paid more attention to the great chart success the man had... rather than just fast forwarding to the ensuing self-destruct mode of fame!!! Missed opportunity... one could indeed say What a Waste!!! Interested in British music history... success over adversity... controversy... go and see it. A fan of Dury and the Blockheads... go and pay homage.
Might have been better... but still a great tribute to a great artiste, and well worth a view!
Very Good Indeed
Ali_John_Catterall13 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Like an uncommonly honest MP, this reviewer must declare a particular interest: Ian Dury was born on 12 May, a Tuesday. Me too: Tuesday, 12 May. (Albeit 28 years later.) Andy Serkis, who plays him here, is half-Iraqi, like me. And while Dury studied under Peter Blake at the Royal College Of Art, I, er, once worked in the Royal College Of Art shop. Polio helped make Dury the man he was, but cancer ultimately made him bigger than life. There's an allotment set aside in every heart for one of England's national treasures.
And not just England's: strange as it is to picture a generation of nascent Brooklyn and West Coast rappers wigging out to Black Sabbath or German art minimalists during the 1970s, how stranger still that A Tribe Called Quest should sample Dury for 'Can I Kick It'? Or is it? The Blockheads sound is a steaming gumbo of (hugely influential) influences: a dollop of pub rock, a sprinkling of free jazz, a dash of lover's rock, a generous infusion of English music hall, all topped off with Chas Jankel and Co's boiling blue funk. What's not to like about that lot?
It shouldn't really work, but it does - just like the frontman himself, as complicated as any artist worth their sodium chloride. Kitted-out like he'd ram-raided a jumble sale run by a collective of art students, Psychobillies and NHS outpatients, Dury's arty 'Do It Yourself' attitude anticipated British Punk Rock (which studied, literally, at his feet) by several years. Not that he aligned himself with any such movement. There's a lovely clip on YouTube from 1979, in which he invites "Mickey Jones from The Clash" up on stage to play 'Sweet Gene Vincent with him.' "Now listen," he warns the Clash man, "we've got *four* chords in this song, Michael..." Jones' gloriously chagrined grin is worth the admission alone.
So, are we to mourn this real mensch's decline with some Thunderbird wine and a black handkerchief then? Or instead, party like it's 1977? Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is a truly life-affirming and brilliantly unsentimental celebration of the Mockney and his music. Serkis was born to play this role, allowing him to make the most of his celebrated physicality and vocal dexterity. (So convincing, in fact, the real Blockheads have suggested Serkis subsequently go on the road with them.)
Whether barrelling, quip-me-quick, through a set - a defiant Long John Silver with a singing range that starts out like a caress from a brillo pad soaked in brandy - and ends up like a charging Cockney Elephant; making a literal breakfast of a recording studio by pouring milk and eggs into the mixing desk; or bellowing the song that gives the film its title - and really, what other title could there possibly be? - he's the spit, snot and fag ash of the unofficial Poet Laureate who gave us the likes of 'Billericay Dickie', 'Plaistow Patricia', and of course, 'Spasticus Autisticus': it's one of the ironies of his career that the showman's terrifically self-assertive contribution to 1982's United Nations Year of The Disabled was subsequently banned. "I'm not Tiny Tim, I'm Ian Dury!" he roars at "Graham from the Spastics Society". "People like me don't want sympathy - we want respect!"
Respect is what the filmmakers bring, by the bucket-and-spade, closely aided by Dury's daughter Jemima and son Baxter - now a musician in his own right, who appeared with his dad on the cover of 'New Boots And Panties', looking for all the world like Dodger to Ian's Bill Sikes. And this is really a film about fathers and sons. Bill Milner plays Baxter, a rock star's son going predictably, if spectacularly, off the rails, and Ray Winstone is Ian's adored dad Bill. Between these generational polarities, Ian struggles to reconcile familial responsibilities (and two lovers) with his growing fame, while trying to do right by his father's memory.
"Being an underdog with nothing to lose is a good place to start in life," Bill tells him, teaching him to stand on his own two feet, if only with the aid of callipers. Years later, when too busy to watch over Baxter's swimming session, Ian's glibly departing words are "Keep your head up, keep kicking, try not to drown." It was in a swimming pool, of course, where Ian contracted polio. As we say, complicated. Dury puts it more bluntly: "To be a geezer like me, you've got to be a bit of a selfish loony; occasionally one's behaviour makes one ashamed of oneself."
All of which probably suggests scenes of anarchic mayhem followed by periods of reflection and redemption. Well, bollo to that, 'cos this ain't your average rock star biopic either: no insultingly reductive peaks and troughs. As Dury states towards the end of the film, "The only thing I've missed is a few buses." Instead, scenes are introduced, non-linear-fashion, via the appropriate conceit of a stage performance: backdrops spring to life, as real-life morphs into pop videos. There's sterling support too from Naomie Harris as Ian's girlfriend Denise Roudette, and Olivia Williams as his extremely understanding first wife Betty. Actually, being 'extremely understanding' would appear to be the default setting for anybody within this force of nature's sphere.
Ian, you feel, would have really enjoyed this film, as playful and rough around the gills as he was, with a gleefully inventive aesthetic. He would have also liked the fact its producer set up a disability training scheme for young, disabled, aspiring actors and filmmakers during the production; there's a scene toward the end in which Ian visits a group of disabled kids, and addresses them with exactly the same beautiful frankness he'd reserve for anybody. The final 10 minutes treats us to a superbly recreated Blockheads gig, for which they should clear the cinemas of seats and let the people mosh till they drop. Oi Oi!
And not just England's: strange as it is to picture a generation of nascent Brooklyn and West Coast rappers wigging out to Black Sabbath or German art minimalists during the 1970s, how stranger still that A Tribe Called Quest should sample Dury for 'Can I Kick It'? Or is it? The Blockheads sound is a steaming gumbo of (hugely influential) influences: a dollop of pub rock, a sprinkling of free jazz, a dash of lover's rock, a generous infusion of English music hall, all topped off with Chas Jankel and Co's boiling blue funk. What's not to like about that lot?
It shouldn't really work, but it does - just like the frontman himself, as complicated as any artist worth their sodium chloride. Kitted-out like he'd ram-raided a jumble sale run by a collective of art students, Psychobillies and NHS outpatients, Dury's arty 'Do It Yourself' attitude anticipated British Punk Rock (which studied, literally, at his feet) by several years. Not that he aligned himself with any such movement. There's a lovely clip on YouTube from 1979, in which he invites "Mickey Jones from The Clash" up on stage to play 'Sweet Gene Vincent with him.' "Now listen," he warns the Clash man, "we've got *four* chords in this song, Michael..." Jones' gloriously chagrined grin is worth the admission alone.
So, are we to mourn this real mensch's decline with some Thunderbird wine and a black handkerchief then? Or instead, party like it's 1977? Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is a truly life-affirming and brilliantly unsentimental celebration of the Mockney and his music. Serkis was born to play this role, allowing him to make the most of his celebrated physicality and vocal dexterity. (So convincing, in fact, the real Blockheads have suggested Serkis subsequently go on the road with them.)
Whether barrelling, quip-me-quick, through a set - a defiant Long John Silver with a singing range that starts out like a caress from a brillo pad soaked in brandy - and ends up like a charging Cockney Elephant; making a literal breakfast of a recording studio by pouring milk and eggs into the mixing desk; or bellowing the song that gives the film its title - and really, what other title could there possibly be? - he's the spit, snot and fag ash of the unofficial Poet Laureate who gave us the likes of 'Billericay Dickie', 'Plaistow Patricia', and of course, 'Spasticus Autisticus': it's one of the ironies of his career that the showman's terrifically self-assertive contribution to 1982's United Nations Year of The Disabled was subsequently banned. "I'm not Tiny Tim, I'm Ian Dury!" he roars at "Graham from the Spastics Society". "People like me don't want sympathy - we want respect!"
Respect is what the filmmakers bring, by the bucket-and-spade, closely aided by Dury's daughter Jemima and son Baxter - now a musician in his own right, who appeared with his dad on the cover of 'New Boots And Panties', looking for all the world like Dodger to Ian's Bill Sikes. And this is really a film about fathers and sons. Bill Milner plays Baxter, a rock star's son going predictably, if spectacularly, off the rails, and Ray Winstone is Ian's adored dad Bill. Between these generational polarities, Ian struggles to reconcile familial responsibilities (and two lovers) with his growing fame, while trying to do right by his father's memory.
"Being an underdog with nothing to lose is a good place to start in life," Bill tells him, teaching him to stand on his own two feet, if only with the aid of callipers. Years later, when too busy to watch over Baxter's swimming session, Ian's glibly departing words are "Keep your head up, keep kicking, try not to drown." It was in a swimming pool, of course, where Ian contracted polio. As we say, complicated. Dury puts it more bluntly: "To be a geezer like me, you've got to be a bit of a selfish loony; occasionally one's behaviour makes one ashamed of oneself."
All of which probably suggests scenes of anarchic mayhem followed by periods of reflection and redemption. Well, bollo to that, 'cos this ain't your average rock star biopic either: no insultingly reductive peaks and troughs. As Dury states towards the end of the film, "The only thing I've missed is a few buses." Instead, scenes are introduced, non-linear-fashion, via the appropriate conceit of a stage performance: backdrops spring to life, as real-life morphs into pop videos. There's sterling support too from Naomie Harris as Ian's girlfriend Denise Roudette, and Olivia Williams as his extremely understanding first wife Betty. Actually, being 'extremely understanding' would appear to be the default setting for anybody within this force of nature's sphere.
Ian, you feel, would have really enjoyed this film, as playful and rough around the gills as he was, with a gleefully inventive aesthetic. He would have also liked the fact its producer set up a disability training scheme for young, disabled, aspiring actors and filmmakers during the production; there's a scene toward the end in which Ian visits a group of disabled kids, and addresses them with exactly the same beautiful frankness he'd reserve for anybody. The final 10 minutes treats us to a superbly recreated Blockheads gig, for which they should clear the cinemas of seats and let the people mosh till they drop. Oi Oi!
Andy Serkis makes for a pretty good experience overall
markgorman10 January 2010
I was a regular Ian Dury record buyer in my late teens but wouldn't say I was in his thrall. Nevertheless, I was intrigued enough to go and see this biopic featuring Andy Serkis (Golum in Lord of The Rings) as the great man himself.
His performance is top drawer and does make you feel you are in the room with the chief Blockhead himself. But this is more than a music homage. This is a reasonably complex life story told with more than a smattering of real film skills. It opens a bit frenetically with a hotch-potch of animation, flashbacks, montage and "stuff" that the director's (Mat Whitecross - not one I know) using to try to tell the back story quick as a flash. Whilst it works in story-telling terms it feels like it's trying too hard and it takes 20 minutes for the film to find its feet as Dury metamorphosises from Kilburn and The High Roads into Ian Dury and The Blockheads.
Thereafter, the film is far more assured, but strangely unmoving on the whole, despite the fact that there are a lot of episodes that could have jerked a tear or two. Little is made of his chart success. other than the typical excesses that stardom inevitably brings in its wake; rather, the film is much more interested in his complicated love life and (abysmal) family life which lays true the aphorism that what goes around comes around. Actually, it's better for that.
In particular the relationship with Dury and his son, Baxter (played brilliantly by Son of Rambow star Bill Milner) is the main thread of the movie. Initially reticent, Baxter becomes increasingly influenced by his rebellious father and follows suit. Again, like Dad, in response to the bullying and humiliation he faced at school.
The finale is really good and pulls together a lot of strands including the Spartacus references that cropped up earlier in the action. I won't spoil it by telling you how though.
actually,the movie tries a little too hard; it's a touch too stylised for my liking, but it zips along quickly despite its fairly lengthy 115 minute running time.
Overall, I'd recommend it; if for no other reason than to wonder at Andy Serkis.
7 out of 10.
His performance is top drawer and does make you feel you are in the room with the chief Blockhead himself. But this is more than a music homage. This is a reasonably complex life story told with more than a smattering of real film skills. It opens a bit frenetically with a hotch-potch of animation, flashbacks, montage and "stuff" that the director's (Mat Whitecross - not one I know) using to try to tell the back story quick as a flash. Whilst it works in story-telling terms it feels like it's trying too hard and it takes 20 minutes for the film to find its feet as Dury metamorphosises from Kilburn and The High Roads into Ian Dury and The Blockheads.
Thereafter, the film is far more assured, but strangely unmoving on the whole, despite the fact that there are a lot of episodes that could have jerked a tear or two. Little is made of his chart success. other than the typical excesses that stardom inevitably brings in its wake; rather, the film is much more interested in his complicated love life and (abysmal) family life which lays true the aphorism that what goes around comes around. Actually, it's better for that.
In particular the relationship with Dury and his son, Baxter (played brilliantly by Son of Rambow star Bill Milner) is the main thread of the movie. Initially reticent, Baxter becomes increasingly influenced by his rebellious father and follows suit. Again, like Dad, in response to the bullying and humiliation he faced at school.
The finale is really good and pulls together a lot of strands including the Spartacus references that cropped up earlier in the action. I won't spoil it by telling you how though.
actually,the movie tries a little too hard; it's a touch too stylised for my liking, but it zips along quickly despite its fairly lengthy 115 minute running time.
Overall, I'd recommend it; if for no other reason than to wonder at Andy Serkis.
7 out of 10.
Entertaining enough if you know the fuller picture
Pedro_H27 January 2011
The Ian Dury story was definitely too strange for fiction. A disabled pop star - in the modern video age - who created a mix of musical hall, punk and pub rock that topped Euro charts and still gets a whirl now and then on nostalgia radio.
But is this is the real story? For a start he had one of the great backing bands (and to be frank they were more musical than him!) and, besides that, he was both an art teacher and born and brought up well outside of London. Making him Mockney No.1.
Like most bio-pics, facts that don't fit the overall picture are thrown over the wall. Also chronology is not guaranteed either. Never mind the interesting bits that the micro-budget couldn't touch.
Serkiss is simply great as Dury. Indeed hard to see anyone doing any better with the material. Such as it is. Why did women go for this unconventional man who clearly had a great deal of trouble thinking beyond himself and his own creature comforts?
("Don't know" says the movie very honestly. Although he may have been quite nice on the days he wasn't acting a prick. There was a brain and a conscience up there.)
Like many artists you are glad for their art because it shows they had hidden depths that their appearance and behaviour didn't always indicate. Later he left music ("writers block") to try and be an actor. I don't mean play at being an actor, but become a real one. Work at it. Character roles a speciality. He did OK actually. Another fact that could have been a good 20 minutes rather than ending up over the aforementioned wall.
The whole production team has worked hard to get some energy and oomph in the film and not to make it limp like the man himself, but despite that it is really only a time passer. As I have already said, the film doesn't have the budget to get involved in his era (which made him really) and while it is nice to know he had a country house and a swimming pool the real action is clearly elsewhere most of the time.
But is this is the real story? For a start he had one of the great backing bands (and to be frank they were more musical than him!) and, besides that, he was both an art teacher and born and brought up well outside of London. Making him Mockney No.1.
Like most bio-pics, facts that don't fit the overall picture are thrown over the wall. Also chronology is not guaranteed either. Never mind the interesting bits that the micro-budget couldn't touch.
Serkiss is simply great as Dury. Indeed hard to see anyone doing any better with the material. Such as it is. Why did women go for this unconventional man who clearly had a great deal of trouble thinking beyond himself and his own creature comforts?
("Don't know" says the movie very honestly. Although he may have been quite nice on the days he wasn't acting a prick. There was a brain and a conscience up there.)
Like many artists you are glad for their art because it shows they had hidden depths that their appearance and behaviour didn't always indicate. Later he left music ("writers block") to try and be an actor. I don't mean play at being an actor, but become a real one. Work at it. Character roles a speciality. He did OK actually. Another fact that could have been a good 20 minutes rather than ending up over the aforementioned wall.
The whole production team has worked hard to get some energy and oomph in the film and not to make it limp like the man himself, but despite that it is really only a time passer. As I have already said, the film doesn't have the budget to get involved in his era (which made him really) and while it is nice to know he had a country house and a swimming pool the real action is clearly elsewhere most of the time.
Somehow Unsatisfying
cottrellpj16 May 2010
Lots of good performances here, but a lack of cohesion. I'm an Ian Dury fan (as well as Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric et al) and I was struck by the lack of historical context. Other than a brief reference to The Sex Pistols, there's no sense of time or place here, no evidence of the seminal Stiffs Live tour that cemented Ian's fame and a lack of recognition to the Blockheads, who were (and are) one of the best bands ever - their funkiness and elasticity were unique. A lot of psychological flashbacks and a last 20 minutes that reminded me of a "Movie of the Week". Nowt about the years leading up to his passing. A newcomer might wonder what all the fuss was about.
An interesting take on the life and times of Ian Dury...
ajs-1016 January 2011
Back in 1977 while punk was just getting going, a band called Ian Dury and the Blockheads released an album called 'New Boots and Panties'. A few years later, feeling a bit nostalgic, I bought said album really cheap. I still have it today; in fact I'm listening to it as I type this review. Now, onto the film, it's a biopic all about Ian Dury, his fight against disability and his rise to fame. Here's a brief summary before I tell you my thoughts (summary haters please mingle with the audience while I write the next paragraph).
Ian Dury was an entertainer, or that's what he always said he was interviewed. He had been struck down with polio when he was young and this left him withered down his left side. When we first see him, he is with another band who are rehearsing downstairs while his wife, Betty, gives birth upstairs. Later, after their last gig, he meets Denise Roudette, with whom he has an affair. They move in together and a while later, his son, Baxter, comes to stay with them. As Ian puts a new band together, including musician and songwriter Chaz Jankel, Baxter struggles to come to terms with the chaotic lifestyle he has been thrown into. The film plots his rise to fame and the effect it has on Ian and those around him. It also tells of his early life in flashback, his relationship with his father, Bill, and his unhappy childhood in an institution. I won't say any more as I don't want to give too much away.
Made in a very theatrical style, this film cuts from live action to animation, to live musical performances and back again. It all sounds a bit chaotic, but, for me at least, it works. At the centre is a really great performance from Andy Serkis as Ian Dury, although he doesn't particularly look like him, he has all his mannerisms down to a tee. I also thought Bill Milner played the part of Baxter Dury very well, it can't have been an easy part for a young actor and I thought he coped with it pretty well. Similarly, Wesley Nelson played the part of Young Ian Dury very well. I should also give honourable mentions to Olivia Williams as Ian's wife, Naomie Harris as Denise Roudette, Tom Hughes as Chaz Jankel, and nice cameos from both Ray Winstone as Bill Dury (Ian's dad) and Noel Clarke as Desmond.
Although Ian Dury wasn't the easiest person to get along with (for those that don't know, he passed away in 2000) and consequently not the nicest man in the world, I found this quite an enjoyable film to watch. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Ian Dury and the Blockheads, but I do recognise that Ian was a very talented chap and I always respected him as an artiste. Later in his career he appeared in quite a few films, not a bad actor. Over all, it's quite an interesting film, very touching at times but also quite bold in its approach. I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but still recommended.
My score: 7.1/10
Ian Dury was an entertainer, or that's what he always said he was interviewed. He had been struck down with polio when he was young and this left him withered down his left side. When we first see him, he is with another band who are rehearsing downstairs while his wife, Betty, gives birth upstairs. Later, after their last gig, he meets Denise Roudette, with whom he has an affair. They move in together and a while later, his son, Baxter, comes to stay with them. As Ian puts a new band together, including musician and songwriter Chaz Jankel, Baxter struggles to come to terms with the chaotic lifestyle he has been thrown into. The film plots his rise to fame and the effect it has on Ian and those around him. It also tells of his early life in flashback, his relationship with his father, Bill, and his unhappy childhood in an institution. I won't say any more as I don't want to give too much away.
Made in a very theatrical style, this film cuts from live action to animation, to live musical performances and back again. It all sounds a bit chaotic, but, for me at least, it works. At the centre is a really great performance from Andy Serkis as Ian Dury, although he doesn't particularly look like him, he has all his mannerisms down to a tee. I also thought Bill Milner played the part of Baxter Dury very well, it can't have been an easy part for a young actor and I thought he coped with it pretty well. Similarly, Wesley Nelson played the part of Young Ian Dury very well. I should also give honourable mentions to Olivia Williams as Ian's wife, Naomie Harris as Denise Roudette, Tom Hughes as Chaz Jankel, and nice cameos from both Ray Winstone as Bill Dury (Ian's dad) and Noel Clarke as Desmond.
Although Ian Dury wasn't the easiest person to get along with (for those that don't know, he passed away in 2000) and consequently not the nicest man in the world, I found this quite an enjoyable film to watch. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Ian Dury and the Blockheads, but I do recognise that Ian was a very talented chap and I always respected him as an artiste. Later in his career he appeared in quite a few films, not a bad actor. Over all, it's quite an interesting film, very touching at times but also quite bold in its approach. I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but still recommended.
My score: 7.1/10
Creative, imaginative, un-formulaic bio
cinematic1329 April 2010
Blows the typical Hollywood bio-pics (RAY, WALK THE LINE, etc. etc.) right out of the water. A career-defining performance from Andy Serkis...his BAFTA nomination was more than well-deserved. He literally inhabits this physically and emotionally demanding role. The film does not sugar-coat the fact the Dury was a hard man to be around. Superbly edited as well, combining graphics, animation, varying film-stocks and angles, B&W, flashbacks, and fantasy sequences (ever see a band perform UNDER water?). While this might sound like a mish-mash, it certainly reflects those same artistic elements and chaos of the times. Yet the movie never loses it's narrative thru-line. A must-see, even more so for those who remember.
The Life and Death of Ian Dury
clivey612 February 2010
A fine lead performance by Andy Serkis who played Gollum, King Kong and, er Moors Murderer Ian Brady. I suppose what with him playing real people - or at least established characters - he's following a similar career path to Blair/Frost/Clough actor Michael Sheen. (While Serkis doing Blair would be a stretch, I could see Sheen playing the anaemic po-faced Brady.) Serkis seems to BE Dury though he doesn't look that much like him; Dury looked like a malformed Kray twin and Ray Winstone (who pops up as Dury's dad) in his younger days would be more a physical match.
Talking of which, Jamie Winstone appears before the film starts doing her schoolmarm bit, telling us to watch out for anyone videoing the movie. "There's always one who's got to spoil it isn't there..." The movie is good stuff and I liked the dialogue, though much of it may be bon mots from the man himself rather than from the scriptwriter. It's mainly The Life and Death of Peter Sellers type stuff, in that we have a guy over 30 held back by perceived physical limitations and prejudice who makes it big at the expense of his family life.
That said, the genre is a bit box-ticking in its emotions, it's all emotional shorthand. Everything is deliberately simplified, prettified and made a bit phony. When we see the band practising at home, and Dury sacks the drummer while his wife is giving birth upstairs, well, that's based on a real event, except here it looks phony, comical. And it's a bit like that throughout: here's the girlfriend looking moody, here's the kid petulantly burning his dad's presents, etc. It lacks verisimilitude, or that seedy, downbeat 1970s punk vibe. The audience is spoonfed and every scene is a stepping stone. It also has to overlook the fact that unlike Gene Vincent, Dury did not die young, say in 1980, but 20 years later, not in a ripe old age admittedly but with enough time to conjure with.
Still, enjoyable throughout and artist Peter Blake's titles are very good. Blake was Dury's tutor don't you know.
Talking of which, Jamie Winstone appears before the film starts doing her schoolmarm bit, telling us to watch out for anyone videoing the movie. "There's always one who's got to spoil it isn't there..." The movie is good stuff and I liked the dialogue, though much of it may be bon mots from the man himself rather than from the scriptwriter. It's mainly The Life and Death of Peter Sellers type stuff, in that we have a guy over 30 held back by perceived physical limitations and prejudice who makes it big at the expense of his family life.
That said, the genre is a bit box-ticking in its emotions, it's all emotional shorthand. Everything is deliberately simplified, prettified and made a bit phony. When we see the band practising at home, and Dury sacks the drummer while his wife is giving birth upstairs, well, that's based on a real event, except here it looks phony, comical. And it's a bit like that throughout: here's the girlfriend looking moody, here's the kid petulantly burning his dad's presents, etc. It lacks verisimilitude, or that seedy, downbeat 1970s punk vibe. The audience is spoonfed and every scene is a stepping stone. It also has to overlook the fact that unlike Gene Vincent, Dury did not die young, say in 1980, but 20 years later, not in a ripe old age admittedly but with enough time to conjure with.
Still, enjoyable throughout and artist Peter Blake's titles are very good. Blake was Dury's tutor don't you know.
A turd of a film
Mike-969-2213585 February 2011
AS a long time fan I cannot believe this disjointed nonsense has been aired. I saw Ian Dury live so many times this makes me weep. Fans please avoid this politically correct load of old buylocks like the plague - he would have. The dateline jumps with no explanation. There is no I mean no connection with events Christ there is simply no way to describe this turkey. I watched it all the way through, as I did his career. I have no idea why -He did not deserve this I was a High Roads fan! This is like a 1940s biopic. Watch it if you don't know anything about him. If you do remember him though, turn off and watch "Only Fools And Horses - at any rate they can make a stab at an East End accent
Plenty of "Reasons to be Cheerful" ...
colin_coyne6 January 2010
I thought that "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" was an excellent biopic of the late, great Ian Dury
who, stricken by Polio at an early age went on against all odds to be a leading player / singer in the emerging punk scene of the 70's and onwards ... The cast was very strong, especially the lead role played fantastically well by Andy Serkis (aka Gollum Lord of the Rings, King Kong King Kong), Naomie Harris (After the Sunset, Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End) as Ian's girlfriend Denise and Bill Milner (Son of Rambow, Is there Anybody there?) as Ian's son Baxter. The film takes you through Ian Dury's funny / sad / dynamic / and often chaotic life with a collation of live performances, flashbacks and monologues often driven by the great lyrics of the songs themselves
this is very well done
The director (Mat Whitecross)moves the film along at a good pace and gets the very best performances out of the actors and the casting of Andy Serkis as Ian Dury was a masterstroke I would not be at all surprised if he was nominated for best actor in the Oscars for this amazing performance. I would believe that even Ian Drury would have been impressed by Serkis's performance! I found this to be a very poignant, entertaining film that (I believe) fairly accurately depicts the life and times of the late, great Ian Dury
and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this film. For those that previously enjoyed the music of Ian Dury and the Blockheads you will love this film
for those that haven't heard the music before
"What a Waste!"
get ready to be converted
for you'll have "Reasons to be cheerful" when Ian Dury "Hit's you with his Rhythm Stick!"
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
jboothmillard29 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I had seen clips of this British film on Film 2010 with Jonathan Ross, and it looked highly interesting to see the actor who was Gollum take on a really good role like this. Basically Ian Dury (BAFTA nominated Andy Serkis) was born with polio, an infectious disease based disability causing problems for the spinal cord. This film shows his journey towards stardom as a punk rocker of the 1970's, with his alternative and ingenious approach to singing with great lyrics. It sees his leaving wife Betty (The Ghost's Olivia Williams) and going from place to place with son Baxter (Bill Milner), and his meeting of new love interest Denise Roudette (Naomie Harris). Ian Dury with his band The Blockheads started out in low key gigs, before eventually going for the guns with a recording studio and as we see in many cutaways from the story, a live concert. Through the film we see his struggling through childhood with his disability, his time with his father Bill (Ray Winstone), and the relationships of those who spent time with him musically and socially. Also starring Tom Hughes as Chaz Jankel, James Jagger as John Turnbull, The Office's Mackenzie Crook as Russell Hardy and Noel Clarke as Desmond. Serkis is brilliant as Dury, with his deep voice, costumes and make-up, his prominent drinking and smoking habit, and of course his on the money performances with songs like "Billericay Dickie", "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick", "Spasticus Autisticus" and the title song. If it wasn't for the fantastic performance by Serkis I don't think this film would be worth seeing, so thank goodness they chose him, it is a colourful, musical and really likable biographical drama. It was nominated the BAFTA for Best Music for Chaz Jankel. Good!
Serkis is Brilliant.........The Movie is Not
werefox086 January 2013
Andy Serkis gives a great performance as the 70s/80s alternative punk psycho...Ian Dury. If only the rest of this movie was up to the standards of Serkis. Sadly its not. It is made in a kind of "experimental" way, with strange and severe flashbacks. The idea was (probably) to make a movie in the style of Ian Dury. I am pretty sure Dury would have hated this. The attempts to make Dury...at times...a regular guy sitting at home with his wife--are simply ridiculous. Doing his biggest commercial success "Hit me With Your Rhythm Stick" in a swimming pool was desperation. It is a movie that is always mis-directed. The great performance by Serkis will ...unfortunately...be forgotten.
Do people really throw plates?
beresfordjd17 July 2011
In one scene Olivia Williams (as Dury's wife) throws plates at Andy Serkis(Dury) in a domestic argument - typically of this film it seemed stilted and unreal. That said Andy Serkis is terrific as Dury, as I expected. Naomi Harris is hot and a damned good actress to boot. The style of the film rather gets in the way of a coherent narrative and is ultimately unsatisfying. The Blockhead's music is always worth hearing and I would have liked more band performance on screen as that is what made Dury great. It is to the movie's credit that Ian Dury is seen warts and all, like most rock stars he was a complex and difficult man at the best of times. This film was not quite what I expected it to be and therefore overall I was disappointed in the final result.
Reasons to be cheerful......
FlashCallahan27 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Ignoring the fact that Dury was a teacher for a while, the film flits from has rise to fame, to his challenging upbringing.
It's not like any bio-pic i've seen in recent years, it has a little Todd Haynes-esquire scenes in the film, and the concert footage is really something else.
But it doesn't glamorise the fact that Dury was a star, it doesn't really delve into his money or the music he made, it focuses on the the struggles Dury had with his illness, and trying to bring his son up.
It's very interesting to see that the film-makers don't show Dury as a hero, they show him as a vulnerable child-like man, who cannot cope with the real world. Someone who wants to live life to the full because he probably feels his childhood was lost, so he makes up for it, and tries to get his son to have fun too.
A lot of issues are not elaborated on, which is a shame. The bullying of his son is never fully established, we just get a little revenge in the woods, and thats that, and there is also a scene where Dury is doing a Q&A at the school he attended, and a boy challenges hims about God, there is something there, but the makers ignore it.
But these are just minor flaws in an otherwise interesting film. Serkis is uncannily like Dury, and he is absolutely fantastic as the singer, showing rage and passion.
The rest of the cast are also good, but this is Serkis' movie, and he commands every scene he is in.
It's a very dark movie, sometimes psychedelic, sometimes disturbing, but the narrative flows well and for fans of the music and the man, it's a must.
It's not like any bio-pic i've seen in recent years, it has a little Todd Haynes-esquire scenes in the film, and the concert footage is really something else.
But it doesn't glamorise the fact that Dury was a star, it doesn't really delve into his money or the music he made, it focuses on the the struggles Dury had with his illness, and trying to bring his son up.
It's very interesting to see that the film-makers don't show Dury as a hero, they show him as a vulnerable child-like man, who cannot cope with the real world. Someone who wants to live life to the full because he probably feels his childhood was lost, so he makes up for it, and tries to get his son to have fun too.
A lot of issues are not elaborated on, which is a shame. The bullying of his son is never fully established, we just get a little revenge in the woods, and thats that, and there is also a scene where Dury is doing a Q&A at the school he attended, and a boy challenges hims about God, there is something there, but the makers ignore it.
But these are just minor flaws in an otherwise interesting film. Serkis is uncannily like Dury, and he is absolutely fantastic as the singer, showing rage and passion.
The rest of the cast are also good, but this is Serkis' movie, and he commands every scene he is in.
It's a very dark movie, sometimes psychedelic, sometimes disturbing, but the narrative flows well and for fans of the music and the man, it's a must.
A most curious Musical and good acting by Andy Serkis
mrcibubur20 July 2010
Well I was a 70s teenager and no Punk rock fan but I certainly enjoyed this film almost to its conclusion despite its many shortcomings. I was aware that it was on the shortlist for Oscar nomination but didn't quite make it, I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
Ian dury was a popular musician in the 1970s but I would hardly call this film a tribute to him. In many ways it is a very sad film because through Andy Serkis, we can get an idea of the musical potential which Dury possessed and that which was surely wasted.
There were many poignant sensitive moments and I really liked the opening sequences; not sure if all the songs in the movie are originally from Dury and his Group and the era? Then suddenly the film began to fall away and the ending was somewhat desperate. As others have commented, there was a lack of cohesion and so maximum 6 for this movie because of that alone.
Not in the same league as Ray, Walk the Line or even This is It and some even wonder who Ian Dury was; a Shakespearean Punk legend with a fabulous use of the English language, alas, mostly put to waste.
One strong message the film gives is in the father-son relationship. Dury clearly loved his Son very much but was lost in his own musical world of what the film title dictated, though there was no sex in this movie and I would not suspect Mr Dury to have been a playboy by the nature of the character acted out by Serkis. Furthermore, we are surely talking about Punk Rock, not rock n Roll, though I know it derives from the title of the song.
I may be wrong here but didn't he also write 'Hit me with your Rhythm Stick'/ I thought that might have been evolved when Mr Dury was in the group meeting with the 'kids' and they started to work on a new song with 'rhythm'.
There are many harsh and uncomfortable moments in the movie but don't be put off and you don't have to be a 70s teenager to enjoy it. All the songs used in the movie are lyrical and worth absorbing in the context of the movie but if it intended to tell the mans life story (such as it was), I am sorry but for me it failed.
Ian dury was a popular musician in the 1970s but I would hardly call this film a tribute to him. In many ways it is a very sad film because through Andy Serkis, we can get an idea of the musical potential which Dury possessed and that which was surely wasted.
There were many poignant sensitive moments and I really liked the opening sequences; not sure if all the songs in the movie are originally from Dury and his Group and the era? Then suddenly the film began to fall away and the ending was somewhat desperate. As others have commented, there was a lack of cohesion and so maximum 6 for this movie because of that alone.
Not in the same league as Ray, Walk the Line or even This is It and some even wonder who Ian Dury was; a Shakespearean Punk legend with a fabulous use of the English language, alas, mostly put to waste.
One strong message the film gives is in the father-son relationship. Dury clearly loved his Son very much but was lost in his own musical world of what the film title dictated, though there was no sex in this movie and I would not suspect Mr Dury to have been a playboy by the nature of the character acted out by Serkis. Furthermore, we are surely talking about Punk Rock, not rock n Roll, though I know it derives from the title of the song.
I may be wrong here but didn't he also write 'Hit me with your Rhythm Stick'/ I thought that might have been evolved when Mr Dury was in the group meeting with the 'kids' and they started to work on a new song with 'rhythm'.
There are many harsh and uncomfortable moments in the movie but don't be put off and you don't have to be a 70s teenager to enjoy it. All the songs used in the movie are lyrical and worth absorbing in the context of the movie but if it intended to tell the mans life story (such as it was), I am sorry but for me it failed.
Interesting to a certain extent but overall a bit pedestrian
Red-Barracuda29 November 2013
This, of course, is the biopic of Ian Dury who was one of the leaders of the British proto-punk/pub-rock scene. He would gain popularity in the late 70's and become a significant part of the new wave. It's probably best that I lay my cards out on the table early on and say that I can't claim to be much of a fan of Dury's music. He had a few fun tunes and his lyrics seem to have struck a chord but musically his material always seemed really pedestrian. I watched this movie to try and understand what he was all about and see if I could get to grips with what made him so respected. It was always obvious to me that he was at the very least an interesting character. His band Kilburn & the High Roads, for example, were perhaps the strangest looking group of all time and were the antithesis of rock and roll glamour. Having seen the film, I can't say I am any further forward in the Ian Dury appreciation stakes unfortunately.
He was stricken with polio as a boy which left him physically disabled. This made his life hard but it also instilled in him an inner fire to succeed. It was a big part in what made him ultimately successful. Andy Serkis plays Dury and it's a pretty committed performance it has to be said. But the character isn't really very likable or sympathetic. Maybe this was based on fact, although I really couldn't say. Either way, being in the company of Serkis's Dury is a bit wearing. For a biopic it's a bit on the plodding side. There's not really a massive amount to the story which doesn't help. I would have liked more attention paid to the Kilburn & the High Roads part of the narrative as I think they were maybe the most fascinating band Dury was a part of but I guess that is just a personal preference. Ultimately, though, this is decent enough. It's well acted with some fun period detail - get his son's mullet! – and the recreation of the music is well done. But the character and music didn't do too much for me.
He was stricken with polio as a boy which left him physically disabled. This made his life hard but it also instilled in him an inner fire to succeed. It was a big part in what made him ultimately successful. Andy Serkis plays Dury and it's a pretty committed performance it has to be said. But the character isn't really very likable or sympathetic. Maybe this was based on fact, although I really couldn't say. Either way, being in the company of Serkis's Dury is a bit wearing. For a biopic it's a bit on the plodding side. There's not really a massive amount to the story which doesn't help. I would have liked more attention paid to the Kilburn & the High Roads part of the narrative as I think they were maybe the most fascinating band Dury was a part of but I guess that is just a personal preference. Ultimately, though, this is decent enough. It's well acted with some fun period detail - get his son's mullet! – and the recreation of the music is well done. But the character and music didn't do too much for me.
Once again Andy Sirkis is better than the material
dbborroughs24 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this as part of the Tribeca's pay per view component and I really liked it.
Life and times of Ian Dury front man for the group the Blockheads. Andy Sirkis is stunning as the man who over came polio and who ended up changing the world of music and there by the world. Its kind of episodic as Dury's life is inter-cut with a stage performance where he's talking about his life.
I'm of several minds about the film. I really like Sirkis performance and the music (how could one not). I mean its a well made movie. But there is something about it that didn't click with me. On some level the film seems a bit too conventional. Yes, at times its unconventional, but even so it still feels like its trying to be unconventional in a conventional manner.
I'm nitpicking of course since its a solid little film that I wanted to shake me to the core instead of really liking (and I dare you not to be touched during the final moments.) Worth seeing.
Life and times of Ian Dury front man for the group the Blockheads. Andy Sirkis is stunning as the man who over came polio and who ended up changing the world of music and there by the world. Its kind of episodic as Dury's life is inter-cut with a stage performance where he's talking about his life.
I'm of several minds about the film. I really like Sirkis performance and the music (how could one not). I mean its a well made movie. But there is something about it that didn't click with me. On some level the film seems a bit too conventional. Yes, at times its unconventional, but even so it still feels like its trying to be unconventional in a conventional manner.
I'm nitpicking of course since its a solid little film that I wanted to shake me to the core instead of really liking (and I dare you not to be touched during the final moments.) Worth seeing.
The only things (in life) that I've missed are a few buses
tim-764-29185612 August 2011
So surmises Andy Serkis, as punk poet extraordinaire, Ian Dury, at the end of this excellent film. How the most unlikely of popsters made it to the top despite crippling polio and how that both complicated and fuelled him as both a person and an 'entertainer' (as he describes himself). When I heard that this film was being made and Serkis was cast as the uniquely ambiguous Dury, I was both delighted and deeply satisfied. That Dury's legacy was to be laid out by 'Golem'. Not that we've seen a lot of Serkis, the actor, though his physical adaptability and no bullshit, in-the-face approach bore well. And that in my mind, he would do proud the now late, rascally, lyrically dexterous Essex wide boy, Ian Dury.
I've been aware of the Blockhead's music rather than an avid fan but do at least own their greatest hits CD. I also really like my rock'n'roll biopics - from The Doors, 24 Hour Party People and Sid & Nancy. The more honest and frenetic the better. The ups and downs, the grime as well as the fame. That way, we can live for a couple of hours as the 'dream' but knowing as we do, the downsides. I like them a bit mysterious too, with symbolisms and dreams and druggy effects. That way, I tell myself, I don't have to actually do things that like myself, in 'real' life.
So, how does this fit in with those others? Surprisingly well - and better than more sedate reviewers had suggested. In depth, without being overlong, I know more about Dury, his psyche and his life - and I was entertained along the way. Which is about all one can ask for, really. Except, we get get some other great British acting talents adding colour and familiarity to the motley crew and the film's overall colourful tapestry.
Downsides - Yes. A couple. The oft cited film's lack of portraying the big time - 'Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick' stuck out like a sore thumb when it hit no 1 in the UK singles chart. (I remember it on BBC Radio 1's Sunday chart show at the time) More than a novelty song, it really was a breath of fresh air. That must have been on Top Of the Pops - it's certainly on YouTube now. The film should have shown that, at least.
In conclusion, Serkis is great (anyone else being unimaginable) as is the witty script, cast, period detail and most else. Whether a Blockhead fan or not, this film really adds to the line-up of decent music biopics. Like its subject, it's bitty and scurrilous but entertaining enough for most people who want to take a peek behind the scenes of one of music's most charismatic and misunderstood British heroes.
I've been aware of the Blockhead's music rather than an avid fan but do at least own their greatest hits CD. I also really like my rock'n'roll biopics - from The Doors, 24 Hour Party People and Sid & Nancy. The more honest and frenetic the better. The ups and downs, the grime as well as the fame. That way, we can live for a couple of hours as the 'dream' but knowing as we do, the downsides. I like them a bit mysterious too, with symbolisms and dreams and druggy effects. That way, I tell myself, I don't have to actually do things that like myself, in 'real' life.
So, how does this fit in with those others? Surprisingly well - and better than more sedate reviewers had suggested. In depth, without being overlong, I know more about Dury, his psyche and his life - and I was entertained along the way. Which is about all one can ask for, really. Except, we get get some other great British acting talents adding colour and familiarity to the motley crew and the film's overall colourful tapestry.
Downsides - Yes. A couple. The oft cited film's lack of portraying the big time - 'Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick' stuck out like a sore thumb when it hit no 1 in the UK singles chart. (I remember it on BBC Radio 1's Sunday chart show at the time) More than a novelty song, it really was a breath of fresh air. That must have been on Top Of the Pops - it's certainly on YouTube now. The film should have shown that, at least.
In conclusion, Serkis is great (anyone else being unimaginable) as is the witty script, cast, period detail and most else. Whether a Blockhead fan or not, this film really adds to the line-up of decent music biopics. Like its subject, it's bitty and scurrilous but entertaining enough for most people who want to take a peek behind the scenes of one of music's most charismatic and misunderstood British heroes.
A film about the man, not just the disability
justbob198218 May 2014
Version I saw: UK DVD release Actors: 7/10 Plot/script: 7/10 Photography/visual style: 7/10 Music/score: 8/10 Overall: 7/10 Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is the story of punk-rock star Ian Dury (played by Andy Serkis). He struggled with the childhood polio that had left one hand and one leg almost unusable, and with the classic rack star egotism that drove away first his wife Betty (Olivia Williams), then his long-term girlfriend Denise (Naomie Harris).
Serkis is the acknowledged master of the motion capture CGI technique, and his command of physical acting was important to portraying Dury's trademark inhibited gait as well as his charismatic stage presence. Seeing him performing the songs made famous by Dury and the Blockheads - and bring some plot-advancing acting into the mix in the very same scenes - is impressive and exciting to watch.
The film features an impressive supporting cast of familiar names and faces: Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook, Ray Winstone and Arthur Darvill all make significant appearances, and the young Bill Milner has a key role as Dury's son Baxter, an ordinary boy plunged into his hedonistic rock & roll lifestyle.
S&D&R&R has some interesting things to say about disability, and the way we treat the disabled. It is an important part of the film's message that Dury is actually often a quite unpleasant character, treating those close to him appallingly. We have seen the prima donna rock star story a million times, but the in-built dependency on others forced by Dury's weak hand and leg adds an extra dimension.
This is a story about how the thin line between callous and patronising that we all must tread in this area, and about the fact that everyone should benefit from it, not just the people we like.
Serkis is the acknowledged master of the motion capture CGI technique, and his command of physical acting was important to portraying Dury's trademark inhibited gait as well as his charismatic stage presence. Seeing him performing the songs made famous by Dury and the Blockheads - and bring some plot-advancing acting into the mix in the very same scenes - is impressive and exciting to watch.
The film features an impressive supporting cast of familiar names and faces: Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook, Ray Winstone and Arthur Darvill all make significant appearances, and the young Bill Milner has a key role as Dury's son Baxter, an ordinary boy plunged into his hedonistic rock & roll lifestyle.
S&D&R&R has some interesting things to say about disability, and the way we treat the disabled. It is an important part of the film's message that Dury is actually often a quite unpleasant character, treating those close to him appallingly. We have seen the prima donna rock star story a million times, but the in-built dependency on others forced by Dury's weak hand and leg adds an extra dimension.
This is a story about how the thin line between callous and patronising that we all must tread in this area, and about the fact that everyone should benefit from it, not just the people we like.
Good central performance.
nigelmacdonald-9717319 November 2020
Serkis does a decent impression of Ian, but there is no real insight into his character or humour. It definitely feels cobbled together from source material available to anyone on the internet. As with most music biogs, they have struggled to create a narrative, because real life doesn't have one. It is fairly entertaining though and they do the music justice.
Andy Serkis owns this film
joris-nightwalker5 January 2015
Not the worst biopic I've seen the past few years. Something for the fans of films like The Boat That Rocked, Good Vibrations and CBGB, although it's absolutely not as good as Richard Curtis' tribute to the pirate radio's of the 1960s. If you're into Ian Dury and The Blockheads Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is something you might enjoy. Especially Andy Serkis' performance as Ian Dury, which is spellbinding at certain times. But as with so many biopics, this one also suffers from boring flashbacks, sentimental nostalgia and lack of its own style. The scenes on stage, when Ian is talking to his audience (and the viewers), are probably the only ones that really honour Dury's persona and kookiness. Everything else is conventional cinema accompanied by an awesome punk / new wave soundtrack by The Blockheads.
A bold experiment, but ultimately too chaotic
paul2001sw-122 October 2016
Ian Dury was an unlikely pop star: a survivor of childhood polio, a clever lyricist (though hardly poetical) who was hardly a singer, who made his own form of rock-and-roll, with punk attitude, funky rhythm but also a dash of the English music hall. That said, biopics tend to be boring and formulaic, and it's to the credit of director Mat Whitecross that he tries to avoid the clichéd overcome-troubles-through-talent narrative. Unfortunately, the result is that it often feels there's barely any narrative at all, rather everything is mixed-up together and the sheer improbability of Dury's sudden ascent to fame with his first number one record at the age of 37 is missed. Also, while I have no reason to doubt the portrayal of Dury as a man with a temper, one thing I missed in Andy Serkis' performance was Dury's pervasive and paradoxical sense of cool.
Boring plot and uninteresting characters
Gordon-1126 April 2017
This film tells the story of a young boy who suffers from polio, and becomes mildly disabled. He does not let this aspect of himself get in the way of his success, and he becomes one of the most influential musician in the British punk rock scene.
The story revolves mainly about the grown up Ian Dury, who seems to spend a lot of time on sex and drugs. He behaves erratically at times, but it seems that the consequences of his actions are not much touched upon. I may have missed what happened after he trashes the studio, but there seems to be no consequences after being taken away by the police. I have to say the story does not connect with me at all. I don't find the characters sympathetic or likable, and I do not care about any of them. I find this film boring and less than engaging.
The story revolves mainly about the grown up Ian Dury, who seems to spend a lot of time on sex and drugs. He behaves erratically at times, but it seems that the consequences of his actions are not much touched upon. I may have missed what happened after he trashes the studio, but there seems to be no consequences after being taken away by the police. I have to say the story does not connect with me at all. I don't find the characters sympathetic or likable, and I do not care about any of them. I find this film boring and less than engaging.
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