DVD Review: 24 Hour Party People (B)

24 Hour Party People (2002)
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Starring Steve Coogan, Sean Harris and Andy Serkis
Grade: B

Review by Scott Standish

Full of energy and wit, 24 Hour Party People tells the story of Tony Wilson, a maverick TV journalist in Manchester England. Tony also hosts a music TV show and attends lots of local gigs by the punk groups of the 70's. Inspired by a single Sex Pistols performance he decides to start his own record label.

Tony Wilson's Factory record label put out some of the best punk and new wave music of the 70s and 80s, featuring bands such as Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays. The trials and tribulations of Tony running a record company are interesting indeed, as he explicitly shows drug binges, booze bashes, girl chasing and general mayhem. He opens a nightclub for live bands (and later DJs) that becomes as trend setting as his record label.

The structure of 24 Hour Party People is unique in that Steve Coogan presents the story in character as Tony Wilson recounting his life. He then cuts to himself in character actually doing the things or meeting the people that he has just described. Its sounds confusing but its actually handled quite smoothly.

Archival footage of bands (Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, etc) is often inter cut right into the dramatic scenes and the effect, while at first jarring, eventually proves quite effective. The acting is solid across the board and Sean Harris (as Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis) is especially good. If you are looking for a slightly offbeat independent film and have a taste for the punk/new wave music of the 80's then give 24 Hour Party People a shot.

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