“24 Hour Party People 2002” is a frenetic journey through the rise and fall of Manchester’s music scene. A whirlwind of drugs, sex and punk rock, it chronicles the chaotic life of Tony Wilson as he starts Factory Records and launches bands such as Joy Division and New Order. The film is a wild ride that captures the rebellious spirit of the time, celebrating creativity and excess with a dark sense of humor.
⇣⇣⇣
Review
24 Hour Party People: A Celebration of Music, Drugs, and Manchester
“Life is like a box of chocolates,” Forrest Gump once said. “You never know what you’re gonna get.” The same can be said about 24 Hour Party People, a film that defies genre conventions and defies expectations. Is it a biopic about a legendary music promoter? A historical drama chronicling the rise and fall of an entire music scene? A comedy about excess and debauchery? Yes, yes, and yes.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, 24 Hour Party People chronicles the rise of Factory Records, the label that gave birth to iconic bands like Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays. The film’s protagonist is Tony Wilson (played with infectious enthusiasm by Steve Coogan), the founder of Factory Records and the self-proclaimed “Mr. Manchester.”
Wilson is a fascinating character: part entrepreneur, part artist, part megalomaniac. He’s fiercely loyal to his city and its musical heritage (“This is Manchester. We do things differently here,” he proclaims at one point), yet he’s also prone to grandiose gestures and flights of fancy (at one point he declares that Factory isn’t just a label but “a state of mind”).
The film unfolds in a series of vignettes that are loosely connected by Wilson’s narration and his presence as a witness to the events unfolding around him. There are moments of poignancy (the scene where Joy Division singer Ian Curtis commits suicide is particularly heartbreaking), moments of surrealism (the scene where Wilson meets God in a club bathroom is hilarious), and moments of sheer insanity (the scene where Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder tries to sell his own feces to reporters is something you have to see to believe).
The supporting cast is equally impressive: Paddy Considine as the brooding Joy Division guitarist, Rob Gretton as Wilson’s loyal but volatile right-hand man, and Shirley Henderson as the deranged lead singer of The Durutti Column. But it’s Coogan who steals the show with his irrepressible energy and wit.
One of the film’s biggest strengths is its depiction of Manchester itself. The city is portrayed as a gritty, industrial hellscape that’s nevertheless full of vitality and creativity. The various clubs and venues that Factory Records frequented are lovingly recreated, from the raucous atmosphere of The Haçienda (a club that was co-owned by Factory Records) to the eerie silence of a deserted warehouse where Joy Division rehearse.
The film also does an excellent job of capturing the zeitgeist of the time: the late 70s and early 80s, when punk rock was giving way to new wave and post-punk. It was a time of cultural upheaval, political unrest, and economic decline in Britain, but it was also a time when creativity flourished in unexpected ways. Factory Records embodied this spirit: it was anarchic, idealistic, and passionate about music above all else.
The film’s soundtrack is another highlight. From Joy Division’s haunting “Love Will Tear Us Apart” to Happy Mondays’ euphoric “Step On,” the music is an integral part of the story. Even if you’re not familiar with these bands’ songs, their music speaks for itself: it’s raw, emotional, and deeply influential.
But for all its virtues, 24 Hour Party People is not without flaws. Some viewers may find the pacing uneven or confusing (the film jumps around in time quite a bit), while others may take issue with its portrayal of certain characters or events. And while Coogan is undeniably charismatic as Wilson, some viewers may find his performance too broad or cartoonish at times.
Still, these quibbles are minor compared to the film’s overall impact. 24 Hour Party People is a celebration of music, drugs, and Manchester, and it captures the spirit of an era in a way that few other films have. It’s also a testament to the power of art and culture to transform lives and communities. As Wilson says at one point: “This is not just pop music. This is important.”
If you’re a fan of music, history, or just great filmmaking in general, 24 Hour Party People is definitely worth checking out. And if you’ve never heard of Factory Records or Joy Division before, prepare to be blown away by their talent and their legacy.
Technical Data
- Runtime : 117
- Release : 2002-02-13
- Genre : Comedy, Drama, Music
- Cast : Steve Coogan as Tony Wilson, Paddy Considine as Rob Gretton, Sean Harris as Ian Curtis, Lennie James as Alan Erasmus, Shirley Henderson as Lindsay Wilson
- Crew : Robby Müller as Director of Photography, Michael Winterbottom as Director, Andrew Eaton as Producer, Marcel Zyskind as Camera Operator, Mark Tildesley as Production Design
- Popularity 10.646
- Budget : 0
- Revenue : 0
- Company : The Film Consortium, Baby Cow Productions, UK Film Council
- Summary : Manchester, 1976. Tony Wilson is an ambitious but frustrated local TV news reporter looking for a way to make his mark. After witnessing a life-changing concert by a band known as the Sex Pistols, he persuades his station to televise one of their performances, and soon Manchester’s punk groups are clamoring for him to manage them. Riding the wave of a musical revolution, Wilson and his friends create the legendary Factory Records label and The Hacienda club.
- Tagline : Share the Ecstacy!
