Okay, I was always going to like this film. The stellar cast, the Peter Blake animations, the soundtrack and the musical focus of the story had the potential to win me over any day (I saw it on 'Orange' Wednesday, as it happens). Ultimately, though, I thought this was going to be a bit of a novelty.
I had not expected to see one of the performances of the year.
I had not expected to see one of the performances of the year.
A biopic of New Wave singer Ian Dury, the narrative suitably charts his career; from pub rock beginnings to signing to Stiff Records and rise to pop stardom.
Whilst the on-screen action happens in a standard, linear manner, there are several flashbacks to Dury's youth. These include his forays as a young diving champion (which handily explains how he caught the infamously waterborne Polio), as well as some 'tough love' moments shared with his father.
This father-son bond is integral to the audience's understanding of the film's real progressive narrative: that of the relationship between Dury and his own son, Baxter. From a staunch unease between the two, Dury gradually begins to understand his son, and thus a charming mutual idolisation flourishes.
There are some great performances on show, too. Bill Milner (of Son of Rambow fame) is fantastic as Baxter; Ralph Ineson (Chris Finch from The Office) is suitably terrifying as Dury's drugged-up minder; and Ray Winstone (who needs no introduction, rendering these brackets useless) plays the convincingly harsh-but-fair Dury Senior.
However, Serkis's portrayal of Dury is something else, and honestly needs to be seen to be believed. Dury's mannerisms, unbridled Lewis Caroll-esque love for wordplay and meta-'Essex' accent have all been mastered by Serkis. He offers not a pastiche, but the real thing.
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