Though Curtis is hopelessly dysfunctional, photographer-turned-filmmaker Anton Corbijn makes us achingly aware of the singer's talent, the haunting poetry of his songs and how, living in the gloomy culture he did, his passing was virtually inevitable.

The film nails both the malaise and creative vigor of Curtis' short, bruised and chillingly relatable life.

Sam Riley is fascinating as Curtis, a hypersensitive young man hobbled by his incurable disease, and Samantha Morton is poignant as his put-upon wife.

[An] absorbing and ultimately harrowing look at Ian Curtis' short, unhappy life.

The film leaves you with the impression of an almost painfully innocent young singer, for whom alienation was, alas, far more than a pose.