It's quite appropriate (almost fate) that photographer Anton Corbjin would make his feature film debut by telling Curtis' story, considering his involvement with some of the band's most memorable photos back in the day. Having that distinction helped make sure that Curtis' widow Deborah, Factory President Tony Wilson (who recently passed away) and the surviving members of the band, who found even greater success as New Order, would be on board and involved in telling Curtis' story. Like Corbjin's previous work, the film is entirely in black and white, and it's one of those rare cases where this filmmaker's flight of fancy is highly appropriate, since it adds to the tone of Curtis' life.

Sam Riley makes his feature film debut as the singer, whose life story is told quite linearly starting with his early days in Macclesfield, writing poetry and listening to Bowie and Roxy Music, meeting and marrying Debbie (played by Samantha Morton) at far too young an age. It then follows the short-lived career of the band that was well-documented in Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, further legitimizing the events shown in that film. On the other hand, we see far more of Curtis' personal life, such as his day job at the unemployment agency which he kept event after the band first appeared on television.

At first, Riley doesn't look so much like the Curtis that most people remember but over the course of the movie, as he faces the harsh realities of epilepsy and becomes over-medicated in order to prevent it, his face starts to change and he starts looking eerily like the dark, brooding Curtis from Corbjin's pictures. Riley so perfectly captures Curtis' mannerisms, both onstage and off, that its hard not to feel as if he's channelling the late singer, and this dynamic performance keeps you riveted to the screen.

Samantha Morton is also very good as Debbie, even though she's playing well younger than her normal age and much of the movie focuses on their relationship and how their marriage fell apart when Ian met and fell in love with the Belgian groupie Annik Honoré (Alexandra Maria Lara), who was pretending to be a journalist.

Rob Gretton--in this case played by Toby Kebbell--is once again the funniest part of the movie, as he says whatever is on his mind, most of which is quite inappropriate.

Corbjin's long career working in the limited worlds of black and white ensures that the film looks as gorgeous and stark as his photos and music videos, and after ten minutes, it becomes apparent that a film like this would never have worked quite as well if done in color. The soundtrack is just as stripped down with very little incidental scoring, instead letting Joy Division's music (and Curtis' influences) be the sole accompaniment to the images.

Either way, this is a stunning debut from Corbjin that makes you wonder why it took him so long to make his first feature film. (I guess that's one of the questions I can ask him when we talk on Saturday.)

Either way, this is a film that must be seen by any true Joy Division fan, but it's also entertaining enough as an introduction to this influential band and its troubled singer.

Rating: 8.5/10

Control opens in select cities but it plays at the Toronto International Film Festival tonight at 9:45pm and Saturday at 9am at the Scotiabank Theatre. You can get ticket info here.