This is an awesome film, which strangely reflects a genuine work of art. The power of 'Closer' (the album) is unlikely to ever be matched, and certainly ranks alongside other great masterpieces of the wider art world in terms of touching the senses.

Its lyrical storyline and heartbeat perhaps also represent the most accurate chronology of Ian Curtis's emotive and psychological path through the latter period of his life. The screenplay of Control maps on to this in a very interesting way, and offers a slightly different dimension. From a film making sense it is an extraordinary effort.

As a canvass for a picture of Curtis, however, it does not attempt, perhaps wisely, to explore his perspective. It also strays slightly from the first party map, 'Closer' itself. If the suicide note to Debbie did indeed quote the track 'Twenty-Four hours', for example, as shown in the film, then the closing track should surely have been 'Eternal', rather than 'Atmosphere'. On the album, Twenty-four hours depicts the ultimate and final moment of crisis and inner conflict: the point at which the mind makes the decision. If he went back to that point of the album with the note, which is entirely appropriate, then the next step would have to be what was the next track, Eternal. This of course is a (his) self-penned funeral march.

It is easy to see why this film has been so highly acclaimed. There are superb performances, outstanding camera work, and stunning representation of the era, and the locality (Macc). It will be one of those films that will still be spoken of in glowing terms in several generations.