Version I saw: UK DVD release Actors: 7/10 Plot/script: 7/10 Photography/visual style: 7/10 Music/score: 8/10 Overall: 7/10 Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is the story of punk-rock star Ian Dury (played by Andy Serkis). He struggled with the childhood polio that had left one hand and one leg almost unusable, and with the classic rack star egotism that drove away first his wife Betty (Olivia Williams), then his long-term girlfriend Denise (Naomie Harris).Serkis is the acknowledged master of the motion capture CGI technique, and his command of physical acting was important to portraying Dury's trademark inhibited gait as well as his charismatic stage presence. Seeing him performing the songs made famous by Dury and the Blockheads - and bring some plot-advancing acting into the mix in the very same scenes - is impressive and exciting to watch.The film features an impressive supporting cast of familiar names and faces: Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook, Ray Winstone and Arthur Darvill all make significant appearances, and the young Bill Milner has a key role as Dury's son Baxter, an ordinary boy plunged into his hedonistic rock & roll lifestyle.S&D&R&R has some interesting things to say about disability, and the way we treat the disabled. It is an important part of the film's message that Dury is actually often a quite unpleasant character, treating those close to him appallingly. We have seen the prima donna rock star story a million times, but the in-built dependency on others forced by Dury's weak hand and leg adds an extra dimension.This is a story about how the thin line between callous and patronising that we all must tread in this area, and about the fact that everyone should benefit from it, not just the people we like.

Andy Serkis gives a great performance as the 70s/80s alternative punk psycho...Ian Dury. If only the rest of this movie was up to the standards of Serkis. Sadly its not. It is made in a kind of "experimental" way, with strange and severe flashbacks. The idea was (probably) to make a movie in the style of Ian Dury. I am pretty sure Dury would have hated this. The attempts to make Dury...at times...a regular guy sitting at home with his wife--are simply ridiculous. Doing his biggest commercial success "Hit me With Your Rhythm Stick" in a swimming pool was desperation. It is a movie that is always mis-directed. The great performance by Serkis will ...unfortunately...be forgotten.

In the states, Ian Dury is mostly unknown, especially now. He was a UK rocker who came out of the pub circuit. He was the most unlikely of rock stars, stricken with polio and possessed of a less than tuneful voice. Still, the music is well crafted and other than the film title some may remember the clever "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick". Andy Serkis does an amazing job as Dury, he catches his ugliness, his drive, his indifference and his fury. They don't make musicians like Dury anymore, and thats a pity. He was an original. The film gets a bit confusing jumping from the present to the past, but stay with it. If you've never heard of Dury, read up & listen before you watch this. Otherwise, I think this is a faithful film about a difficult person but one who contributed well to popular culture. R.I.P. Ian.

I had seen clips of this British film on Film 2010 with Jonathan Ross, and it looked highly interesting to see the actor who was Gollum take on a really good role like this. Basically Ian Dury (BAFTA nominated Andy Serkis) was born with polio, an infectious disease based disability causing problems for the spinal cord. This film shows his journey towards stardom as a punk rocker of the 1970's, with his alternative and ingenious approach to singing with great lyrics. It sees his leaving wife Betty (The Ghost's Olivia Williams) and going from place to place with son Baxter (Bill Milner), and his meeting of new love interest Denise Roudette (Naomie Harris). Ian Dury with his band The Blockheads started out in low key gigs, before eventually going for the guns with a recording studio and as we see in many cutaways from the story, a live concert. Through the film we see his struggling through childhood with his disability, his time with his father Bill (Ray Winstone), and the relationships of those who spent time with him musically and socially. Also starring Tom Hughes as Chaz Jankel, James Jagger as John Turnbull, The Office's Mackenzie Crook as Russell Hardy and Noel Clarke as Desmond. Serkis is brilliant as Dury, with his deep voice, costumes and make-up, his prominent drinking and smoking habit, and of course his on the money performances with songs like "Billericay Dickie", "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick", "Spasticus Autisticus" and the title song. If it wasn't for the fantastic performance by Serkis I don't think this film would be worth seeing, so thank goodness they chose him, it is a colourful, musical and really likable biographical drama. It was nominated the BAFTA for Best Music for Chaz Jankel. Good!