Control

Control is the story of Ian Curtis, lead singer of the now-legendary band Joy Division, who, in 1980, killed himself at the age of 23. Ian is a complex character of both intensity and contrast. Marrying at 19, his relationship with his wife Debbie is remarkable in its normalcy - a picture of the young Northern couple trying to create a life. Ian works in the Employment Exchange and Debbie is a homemaker. However, Ian´s love of music and literature defines his life. We see the drive of the man and, as a result, Joy Division begin to succeed. As the band´s profile grows, Ian is diagnosed with epilepsy, leaving him unsure of himself and his future. While dedicated to his wife and baby daughter, Ian yearns for real compatibility, which he finds in the form of a bright young journalist. The ensuing conflict between responsibility and desire, coupled with the increasing responsibilities of the band, the toll of performance and epileptic fits, renders Ian incapable of dealing with the world, and he chooses what, for him, seems the only way out.