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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly Entertaining, November 9, 2005
This is a really good movie with an excellent excellent screenplay. The movie begins with the birth of punk, when a small roomful of people were fortunate enough to catch the Sex Pistols when they first came out, changing the course of music, and ends with the death of acid. As Tony Wilson puts it in the film, it is the "story of Manchester," that begins when a group of young and idealistic local boys decide to screw London and its record companies and start producing their own records out of Manchester, and boy, has music history benefited from this decision. It's interesting to note that as these young lads on the forefront of the music scene in Manchester began to age, they become less idealistic as they were in their youth, and more acknowledging of reality and its limits. My only complaint is that I wish the movie could have had more on Joy Division and New Order, than on the Happy Mondays. Why did Tony Wilson ever sign a band that came in last place in Manchester's Battle of the Bands??? The casting for this movie is outstanding, as well.
Two big thumbs up.
P.S. I don't know why they used the cover that they did for the DVD. It really has nothing to do with the film.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Blue Monday, August 30, 2002
Michael Winterbottom certainly had no way to go but up after the dreadful "The Claim." And so he does more than make up for it with the fiendishly inventive and entertaining, "24 Hour Party People."
"24HPP" is based on the real life of Tony Wilson a Granada television personality (he hosted Britain's "Wheel of Fortune") who also had a real talent for scouting, producing shows for and recording new and talented bands like New Order, Joy Division and the Sex Pistols in Manchester, England circa 1971-1994. He was also a club owner who had a lot to do with the invention of the current DJ/Rave scene.
What makes this film so enjoyable is the tact that Winterbottom has adopted to tell Wilson's story: Wilson emcees his life both personal and professional in as droll and dry-witted, British middle class/bangers and mash way as possible. It's a hoot.
Along the way we are introduced to a myriad of 80's bands and their music mostly through actual live footage of the bands themselves. But it is Wilson himself as portrayed by Steve Coogan who is the revelation here. He's smart about music and his career but dumb about the realities of the music business. He's very much in love with his wife but doesn't hesitate to take advantage of the favors of music groupies. He wears suits, dress shirts and overcoats to meetings with his rowdy bands, who wear jeans,torn tee-shirts and make-up and sport scowls of miss-apprehension and distrust until Wilson speaks of his love of their music.
"24 Hour Party People" transcends it's 80's roots and becomes universal through the sheer joy, passion and love that Wilson and Winterbottom obviously feel for this music and it's milieu that has as much conviction and reverence for it's subject than do "Amadeus" or "Jail House Rock."
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of 2002's best films!, January 1, 2003
What a terrific film this is! The U.K.'s most eclectic filmmaker turns his gaze this time back to the late Seventies and early Eighties for '24 Hour Party People', a unique docu-drama look at the music scene in Manchester at the time. Tony Wilson and his Factory Records ruled the scene with such groups as Joy Division/New Order, Happy Mondays and others. This is a nostalgic, funny and fascinating look back at this period. Every element of the film is first rate especially Steve Coogan as the amazingly ambitious TonyWilson the real stand out. Needless to say the soundtrack is excellent. Even if you're not a real fan of this music, you will like this film.
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