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24 Hour Party People
2002
Staggeringly versatile director Michael Winterbottom follows up his epic Western THE CLAIM with a period piece of a completely different variety. A sprawling, visceral tribute to the legendary Manchester music scene that flourished between the years of 1976 and 1992, 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE recreates that influential era with .. Read more
| Starring | Steve Coogan, Keith Allen, Jim Cartwright, Lennie James |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Winterbottom |
| Genres | Comedy |
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24 Hour Party People
Staggeringly versatile director Michael Winterbottom follows up his epic Western THE CLAIM with a period piece of a completely different variety. A sprawling, visceral tribute to the legendary Manchester music scene that flourished between the years of 1976 and 1992, 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE recreates that influential era with reckless exuberance. In order to bring structure to the tale, Winterbottom and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce focus their attentions on Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan), the man who was responsible for making it all happen. A television reporter by day, Wilson also led a notorious double life as band manager (Joy Division, the Happy Mondays, James), label president (Factory Records), and club owner (The Hacienda). Fiercely determined and dangerously stubborn, Wilson's energy gave an entire subculture of Manchester youths their place in the spotlight, forever changing the face of popular music in the process. Shot by acclaimed cinematographer Robby Muller in faded digital video, Winterbottom's pulsating film tears through its subject matter like an ecstasy induced history lesson. The performances are flawless from top to bottom, most notably Wilson, Sean Harris, Paddy Considine, John Simm, and Danny Cunningham. A must-see for music aficionados, Winterbottom's film is also worth viewing for its sheer sense of hyperkinetic entertainment.
| Starring | Steve Coogan, Keith Allen, Jim Cartwright, Lennie James, Paddy Considine, Danny Cunningham, Ralph Little, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Andy Serkis, John Simm |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Winterbottom |
| Studio | PATHE DISTRIBUTION |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 57 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 26 Aug 2002 Production year: 2002 |
| Format | DVD |
24 Hour Party People (2002)
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Prolific director Michael Winterbottom is unafraid of mythologising a slice of recent musical/cultural history in this comedy drama, which tells the story of the rise and fall of Manchester's Factory Records and the world-famous Hacienda nightclub. Using TV presenter and Factory impresario Tony Wilson to tell the tale — often directly to camera — is the movie's masterstroke. Wilson, played with relish by Steve Coogan, is in real life a self-publicist of gigantic proportions, so when he compares shambolic Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder (an uncanny impersonation by Danny Cunningham) to WB Yeats, you take it with a pinch of salt but buy into it anyway. Unlikely to make sense to anyone who didn't experience the music and mania of the “Madchester” years — and yet bound to enrage those who were there with its flippant abuse of documentary truth — this is an infectious, well-cast blend of evocative energy, fine vintage music and irreverent humour.
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A true story, of drugs and rock, of pop success and business failure, that is treated as low comedy; it will be enjoyed by those who can relate to the music and the brief years when Manchester bands were significant.
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Most helpful member's review
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21 out of 23 people found this review helpful
Madchester!
As a student in the 1980's I remember the Factory Records phenomena and was a passionate fan (still am) of Joy Division and New Order and this film was 2 hours of nostalgia heaven for me. Everything seemed to blend and work well. The actors (especially Danny Cunningham as Shaun Ryder and John Simm as Bernie Sumner) bore an uncanny resemblence to their characters physically and Steve Coogan has never been better. Move over Alan Partridge and Paul Calf. A special mention must also go to Frank Cottrill Boyce's script for it's authenticity and the ever excellent Robby Muller's photography for it's grimy views of Manchester. I also think Michael Winterbottom has not made a finer film.
Yet it's the music that makes the film.For Brits like myself it's like time travel. For anyone else it's a chance to learn the story behind some of the best music of the 80's and how 'Madchester' became 'Gunchester'. The film doesn't sugarcoat everything. The gang warfare in Manchester was frightening and the film conveys the decline of the Hacienda well. There are no Hollywood happy endings here, no stars. It's often unflinching but is so unmistakably British and so well acted it should and deserves to do well in America. One film everyone must see this year. No film is perfect but this one comes bloody close. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Enjoyable
Coogan is great (some reviewers seem confused, he's not supposed to be Partridge in this film, he's playing Tony Wilson!). Some good laughs and a nice original way of presenting the story with Coogan narrating to the audience as if recounting the events in the past tense while simultaneously taking part in them in the present tense. Light on New Order in favour of Joy Division and the Happy Mondays but they're probably the 2 most interesting band stories anyway. Could have been much worse but it's alright, give it a go, especially if you're around 25-35 or have an interest in the emergence of dance culture and the legendary manchester scene.
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News and features
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Firth 'prefers older roles'
- 23 Oct 2008
Colin Firth has claimed that he has no objection to being offered father roles, as he finds them more interesting to play than younger characters. He made the comments at the premiere of his latest film Genova, in which he portrays a university lecturer moves to the Italian town with his daughters to try and get over the death of his wife. "I'm a dad, it's about a dad," he said. "I've reached the time of life where father roles are coming my way and they're a hell of a lot more... Read more
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24 Hour Party People
Staggeringly versatile director Michael Winterbottom follows up his epic Western THE CLAIM with a period piece of a completely different variety. A sprawling, visceral tribute to the legendary Manchester music scene that flourished between the years of 1976 and 1992, 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE recreates ...
-