Sam Riley’s rock-star dream crashed to a halt when his band, 10,000 Things, got caught up in record-label politics and some murderous reviews. The singer and part-time actor figured he had little to lose when he auditioned for the role of Ian Curtis in “Control,” a long-gestating biopic opening this weekend about the legendary Joy Division frontman, who committed suicide in 1980.
Riley, 27, looks every slouchy inch the British rock peacock. But in conversation he proves to be good-humored, self-aware and frank about what it took to get into the troubled head of the post-punk musician.
Anyone who loves music will love those moments in the film when you’re in your room studying a new album that you’ve just bought. What were those moments for you?
The first real band was the Beatles when I was about 8 or something. I was obsessed by them, ridiculously wearing round glasses and things like that. And then it was the Stones, once I started smoking cigarettes.
And the first time you came upon Joy Division?
It’s kind of strange because no one’s ever said I looked like Ian Curtis before this, except for one guy at a pub in Leeds, a pub where we played quite often when we first started, ’98 or something. I said, “Who’s Ian Curtis?”
In the Joy Division documentary there’s a quote about Ian Curtis in which someone says, “All he did in his spare time was read about human suffering.” What do you do with that?
(Laughs.) I love that. I love Ian Curtis. He was really brilliant, wasn’t he? He comes from a family not too dissimilar from mine, where he was very much loved, and looked after. He went to a nice school. And I think there’s something about coming from that safe background that makes you always slightly self-conscious about being in rock ‘n’ roll. It’s always more convincing if you’ve been picked off the street or you’ve been a criminal in your early life. So maybe to read about all that suffering is to sort of try to bring yourself as close to what you feel is authentic rock stardom, where you had hardships and the working-class ethos.
Are you ready for what this film might do for you?
I try not to think about it, but I also realize that my days doing whatever I’ve wanted with nobody giving a [bleep] are numbered. I mean, I want to be a movie star — always partly have. And another part of me really doesn’t want my opinion asked, because I’m not confident enough sometimes that I’m saying the right thing, or because people will judge me based on what I say. It’s unnerving. But I asked for it.
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Control (R)
3 1/2 stars
Who’s in it: Sam Riley, Samantha Morton
What it’s about: The story of Ian Curtis, the troubled singer of Britishpost-punk band Joy Division who committed suicide at the age of 23.
Worth watching?
“One of the best music biopics in years.” [ Jim Harrington, The Oakland Tribune ]
Also opening
Dan in Real Life (PG-13)
2 stars
Who’s in it: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook
What it’s about: A widowed relationship columnist (Carell) gets caught in a love triangle during a family reunion.
Worth watching? “A surprisingly plain, sappy, even insipid comedy.” [ David Germain, AP ]
Bella (PG-13)
1 1/2 stars
Who’s in it: Eduardo Verastegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez, Ali Landry
What it’s about: A promising soccer star’s career is permanently stalled when his car claims the life of a child who ran into the road.
Worth watching? “More of an exercise in pandering and propaganda than the heartfelt drama it aims to be.” [ CONNIE OGLE, THE MIAMI HERALD ]
Music Within (R)
3 1/2 stars
Who’s in it: Ron Livingston, Michael Sheen, Melissa George, Rebecca De Mornay
What it’s about: A biopic of activist Richard Pimentel, who survived a rocky childhood, Vietnam and hearing loss to become a champion for the rights of the disabled.
Worth watching? “An inspirational film that enlightens as it entertains.” [ MICHAEL DEEDS, THE IDAHO STATESMEN ]
