9th
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll | Film Review
Ian Dury and The Blockheads were the first to coin the phrase ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’, and pinned it to the itineraries of rockers and young bohemians for all eternity. Frontman and lyricist Dury rapidly rose to fame as a trend-setter for the punk era, releasing iconic tracks such as Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, whatever it was that meant.
Andy Serkis takes the lead role as Dury, having finally wriggled out of the computerised leotard that facilitated blockbuster characters like King Kong and the inimitable Gollum from Lord of the Rings. Serkis fully immerses himself in the role, confidently expressing the countless internal conflicts that Dury was going through. Making the psyche of a punk hero accessible to an audience that is largely devoid of anarchical tendencies is no easy feat.
Despite a brilliant performance, there’s not quite enough to illustrate why the man was such a legend. Dury is unruly, audacious, occasionally loving and tender, but for the majority of the film, a bit of a prick. Of course this is no indictment of Serkis’ performance; one has to assume the producers were trying to emulate Dury as closely as possible. Full marks for attention to detail, but it doesn’t make it any easier for the audience to empathise. You’re left perplexed as to why he was so universally loved by the people around him when he seems to constantly self-sabotage his life and relationships. We rarely see how these relationships were established in the first place.
This is a fantastically stylish film though. Gorgeous cinematography and interesting animation and montage make it very visually arresting. The drama created by a strong supporting cast is also very compelling. Notable performances come from Ray Winstone and Bill Milner, but also Naomi Harris - who delivers more of the feisty female character seen in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, but with an additional dose of humility and vulnerability.
Despite some frustrations, this is a perfectly good film with some excellent performances. It’s perhaps not something you’d want to come back to time and again but is definitely worth a look. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll offers a real insight into the life of Ian Dury, who may not be a particularly likeable character, but this rock biopic will undoubtedly prove fascinating for kids of the ‘70’s.
