Dennis Schwartz (22 May 2012)

The film's glaring weakness was that everything was seen through Tony Wilson's eyes.

Jonathan Curiel (22 May 2012)

Winterbottom has set a high, new standard with 24 Hour Party People, his funny, riveting look at the music scene that ruled Manchester, England, from 1976 to 1992.

Jamie Russell (13 May 2012)

Brilliantly realised and hilariously funny.

quiznightgirl (13 May 2012)

unknown pleasures

a fascinating look at a seminal moment in rock history -- Manchester intheearly '80s. see it all happening, before your eyes: the chaos and theinspiration, the drugs and the sex, the hilarity and the senseless deaths.if you're old enough to remember Joy Division, you'll be transported backbythe soundtrack; if not, welcome to part of your history. the jitteryphotography and sudden switches from black & white to sepia tones to,well,'80s-bright colors might be a bit jarring, but you'll lose yourself inthispaean to New Wave.

Steven Rea (11 May 2012)

The actors' performances are a mix of eerie mimicry and something more: a portrait of ambitious dreamers kicking around big notions and doing absolutely self-destructive, stupid things.

(11 May 2012)

winterbottom the great

I wasn't in Manchester in the mid to late 70's, but this film is brimming with a life that I can only hope summed it up in a couple hours. OK that might be a bit much, but it was great nonetheless. Brilliantly shot by the great Robby Müller as well.

Thorsten-Krings (04 May 2012)

well worth watching

Tony Wilson was the man who put Manchester on the map as far as musicis concerned with his innovative label Factory records and his Haziendaclub. With total disregard for all commercial aspects Wilson followedhis vision to enable bands to develop themselves by granting them totalartistic freedom. Needless to say he went bankrupt. Unfortunately, TonyWilson also came across as a pompous ass occasionally. I'm not sure ifthat judgement is fair: Wilson was a highly educated man who neverseemed to fit into the music business life style. Steve Coogan , who isa brilliant comedian, does not really play him in this film. Hedelivers more of a parody of the man although to be fair he does givehim some moments of dignity like when the Joy Division leadsinger killshimself or when he tells his punters to loot the offices when theHacienda is closed down. I just feel there is more to Wilson then justthe pompous wide eyed boy. From my perspective Wilson would be a verygood subject for a docu-drama because he has the depth to be takenseriously and he deserves it. As a comedy drama 24 hour party peopleworks quite well. The cast is great, Coogan is very funny (as always)although I find the idea that Steve Coogan in his Wilson personaactually comments on the film during the film a bit contrived. All inall it's hugely entertaining but I can't help feeling that after a veryelaborate first half, the second half (when the really exciting thingsare happening) is a bit rushed. All in all the film is well worthwatching but I feel that there still is a story about Tony Wilson andthe Madchester movement that waits to be told.

Adam Nayman (04 May 2012)

A formally dazzling, breathlessly profane love letter to punk attitude that recalls every rockumentary from A Hard Day's Night to This is Spinal Tap while remaining fiercely, defiantly original.

(03 May 2012)

Interesting documentary-like approach

24 Hour Party People is not your usual film fare. It tells the true story of the birth of punk music in Manchester, England in an almost documentary approach.That technique is what makes this film work. I'm not a big punk music fan, and the whole culture surrounding it is strange to me, not something I could ever get into, but through the use of the character/narrator Tony Wilson (played by Steve Coogan), this strange world is clearly explained in a humorous but honest commentary. As Wilson interacts with characters in the 70s through 90s, he occasionally breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience from a present-day perspective, in a way providing that 20-20 hind-sight everyone has long after the fact.What this film achieves the most in, however, is the way it blends documentary footage into the film. The whole thing is filmed with a hand-held camera in such a fashion that you almost are fooled into thinking it is a documentary, at least, until Wilson breaks that fourth wall again to remind you. It's a great technique that sets this movie apart from others based on true events.The only real flaw is how time passes without the film ever really letting on. It begins in 1976, and after what feels like a few months, suddenly its 1980. Then, the film continues in what feels like a few years, but when the end title cards come up, it says it's 1997. No one visually aged, and no time cards ever let me know what year it was. For those that already know the story, I'm sure they weren't confused, but it is confusing for those not familiar with it.Still, 24 Hour Party People is really for those who were a part of that era, the fans of punk music. It's not a film I would eagerly sit and watch over and over, but those interested in this subject likely would. This one is highly recommend to 80s punk fans, and is worth checking out for those who love film experiments.

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie (02 May 2012)

A real party, but it's hard to keep track of the guests.

Aidan McGuinness (01 May 2012)

Mad for it? Not quite, but I still enjoyed it

After Coogan's last effort, the dreadful `The Parole Officer' I was wary of`24 Hour Party People'. I needn't have worried – the two are not at allcomparable.The movie tells the true story of Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan), owner ofManchester's Factory Records, signing up the new, innovative bands thatcatches Wilson's talented eye as well as creating a club for groups to playin. Two of these bands – Joy Division and The Happy Mondays – are the mainfocus for the movie, seeing as how these bands, with their eclectic leadsand band members , caused enough of a ruckus to have a decent story toldabout them.The film is shot in a borderline mockumentary style with Wilson makingoftenvery funny humorous asides to the camera. This style, by director MichaelWinterbottom , is itself a tribute to the low-key cheap but energetic musicof the time, which spans from the mid 70s to early 90s. The movie isinterspersed with clips from other media, including concert footage of thebands. It gives an almost TV-production feel to the movie, but that doesn'tdetract from the story.Unfortunately if you are unfamiliar with the subject material, and thebands, you will be possibly lost, as the film seems to assume a certainfamiliarity with everything. As the film covers a span of years it tends todip in at certain moments – the idea isn't so much as to be a documentary,as a homage to the era, giving the viewer a flavour of the times, which isgrand if only you know what you are tasting.`24 Hour Party People' will best be enjoyed by people familiar with themovie's subject matter. Coogan is on fine form here, his Wilson somewhatreminiscent of his earlier TV work which brought him to fame. The mixtureofhumour and tragedy, plus some fine imitations of real bands, makes for anentertaining movie that is one of the best of the British movies to comeoutin recent times. 7.5/10.

Maksimilijan Bogosavljeviæ (30 April 2012)

Nicely done!

Like any other movie about rock music, documentary or not, '24 Hour PartyPeople' packs its fair share of inside material and self-indulgentfrivolity.Due to a crammed timeframe of 20 years (essentially one big juggling actofpeople, bands and events) connecting all the dots required multipleviewings, even if I had certain prior knowledge of the Manchester musicscene in the late '70s, '80s and the early '90s. Making matters still moredifficult is the variety of extremely thick accents - to a point of entiresections of dialogue or monologue occasionally flying by with only asingleword or two actually registering with me. While it added to film'sauthenticity, that got to be more than a bit annoying after a while.Where'sthat closed captioned TV set when you desperately needit?As far as the treatment of the subjects themselves goes, the movie does anadequate job. I mean, when it gets right down to it, the only structuresucha film can more-or-less follow is the basic listing of a series of realevents (and in this particular case most of them already well documented).Naturally, as such it doesn't allow for a whole lot of substantialartisticfreedom so the director employs many little asides, winks and nudges byournarrator Tony Wilson (often through the 'fourth wall') as well as visualtricks and, obviously, music to make this different from, say, somethingyoumight see on VH1's 'Behind the Music'. In addition to being one of themajordriving forces behind the whole scene, Tony also held a full-time job atGranada TV all throughout this period, which the movie uses skillfully forcomic relief.Predictably (not that I'm complaining), things like: Ian Curtis' suicide,the opening of the Haçienda club, ascent and demise of Factory Records,Shaun Ryder's famously out-of-control & self destructive shenanigans, allreceive special treatment. Through Steve Coogan's excellent performance,Tony Wilson, our guide through this zoo, comes off as a pretty fascinatingfellow. Director Michael Winterbottom makes a wise choice in leaving outmany details from his private life in favour of the music itself and thepeople who created it. Wilson's second wife and kids, for example, arebarely mentioned - with a cheeky remark about Tony being a minor characterin his own life story as an explanation for the lack of on-screen timedevoted to them.In the end, whether or not you enjoy '24 Hour Party People' will largely,ifnot entirely, depend on your level of familiarity or appreciation of thebands like Joy Division, New Order, The Happy Mondays and to a lesserextentof their punk inspirations and predecessors like The Stranglers, The Jam,Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, who are alsodepicted in the film.Personally, even though I was always aware of the British new wave, mostofits music & 'shtick' pretty much slipped under my radar so I recentlystarted discovering it retroactively. Therefore, it was a blast to see awell-done, interesting film celebrating that era in popular music. Theseblokes created & performed honest, full-blooded, passionate tunes, whichisthe single most important thing that comes through themovie.P.S: The Smiths, another famous and influential Manchester band arenotablyabsent from much of the film. This is probably due to the fact that backin1983 both Tony and New Order producer/manager Rob Gretton agreed theirdemowas crap, so instead to Factory they went to Rough Trade Records based inLondon. They're mentioned briefly at the end, though, when Tony speaks toGod himself who among other things tells him: "it's a pity you didn't signThe Smiths". :) Brilliant!

Rogue-32 (25 April 2012)

Manchester, here I come!

Excellent pseudo-documentary about the emergence of the Hacienda club inManchester, England, grounded by a superb performance by Steve Coogan (whowas actually born in Manchester), playing club-creator Tony Wilson. Themovie deftly shows what happens when a club is run by ARTISTS rather thanbusinessmen. Could have been shortened by perhaps a good half hour butotherthan that, a solid effort. I'm on the plane now.

Peter Howell (24 April 2012)

Winterbottom captures the spirit of the times, although the film's camera shakes and psychedelic colour bursts may make many viewers feel like reaching for Gravol rather than Ecstasy.

Chris Hewitt (St. Paul) (22 April 2012)

It gives you the privilege of feeling what it would be like to have been at the gig where Joy Division unveiled their transcendent 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' on a pogoing throng.

collipal-1 (22 April 2012)

A superb film

It's very weird to find real innovation on modern movies.And more weirdis when that innovation is on the movie's narrative style.For thatthings,I consider 24 hour party people,a fantastic advance inmovies,and I'm not talking about edition or photography.I'm talkingabout that the combination between comedy,drama and styles make itunique,hypnotic and extremely fun.The journey this movie has about theNew English wave does not look like any documentary or dramatization Ihave ever seen.The story's very fast development gives us an idea aboutthe ''facts'' and I'm sure almost all the ''facts'' are invented andthe main character reminds us that with the following phrase:''This maynot happened,but,as someone famous said,when you have to choose betweenreality and legend,choose the legend''.It's obvious that directorMichael Winterbottom's purpose is not giving us a History Lesson.And hemade the movie totally fun,putting that year's music combined with theBritish humor,which is my favorite kind of humor.It's difficult todescribe the movie without revealing the surprises it has.When you aregoing to see it,you only have to sit down and enjoy a real masterpiece.

darknessbeauty666 (22 April 2012)

A charmingly British film that is both funny and facinating

Alternative music is a passion of mine, so when I heard that there was filmbeing made about factory records/'madchester', I was looking foward toseeing it. I wasn't disapointed.The script is very witty, the soundtrack is brilliant (Buzzcocks, A CertainRatio, Sex Pistols, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, I could goon....), it probably isn't 100% true to what actually happened, but thatdoesn't matter that much, after all, 24 Hour Party People is only afilm.It also brings you into the lives of those there, and also heavily exploresnot only the music, but the scene too, which is very important because itessentially spawned the rave music of today.A fun filled way to spend a couple of hours. Highly recomended.

(21 April 2012)

The negative reviews here ARE helpful and accurate

Yes, this is one of my favorite films. But people here seem to be voting the negative reviews as not being "helpful" only because they are offended that some one insulted their precious movie. Lame. Fans of the 80's Manchester music scene will enjoy this movie, but it could have been done so much better. That music era deserves a much better documentary than this poorly structured film. I really do like this movie, but the negative reviews here that I read ARE pretty accurate, and can be helpful. I do appreciate the reviewers who are at least being honest. The Joy Division scenes in this film are great! The actor who played Ian Curtis really captured his intensity. It felt like I was really watching Curtis. So check this movie out. Just know that it WILL drag at certain points.

(21 April 2012)

What not to do with your artist money

Factory records it had some of the greatest pop acts of all-time:Joy division,new order,happy mondays.But tony wilson didn't manager money very well.This movie was fun,sad,and made me mad.Good buy this dvd it under $10 just about anywere that sells dvd trust me it's great movie about the music biz.

(20 April 2012)

Welcome to Manchester -- the birthplace of rave culture.

BRILLIANT!Here we have an elegy that chronicles the glory days of the Manchester music scene. Manchester was to new wave what Seattle was to grunge. Tony's Wilson's quip, "I'm post-modern before it's fashionable" adequately sums it all up. This movie shows us what was magical about Manchester without posturing or being self-serving. It appeared to be a truly accurate and informative look at the creative zeitgeist that fueled this lower-middle-class British city.I recommed Joy Division's SUBSTANCE as a companion CD for this movie.