What It’s About
Fact-based story centers on the charismatic Tony Wilson (Coogan), a Granada TV journalist in Manchester who founds Factory Records and helps drive a punk music explosion in 1976, which evolves into the Rave/DJ culture over the following decade. The city earns a new nickname over this period: “Madchester”. For Tony, it’s a bumpy but exhilarating ride, as he nurses the careers of bands like Joy Division and New Order.
Why we Love It
Featuring a gloriously profane script by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, this wildly creative, uproarious biopic takes us back to gritty Manchester for the birth of punk. Interspersed in the music narrative are hilarious sequences of Tony’s Granada reporting, which helped pay the bills. A brilliant Coogan carries the film, while pros Considine, James, and Harris animate the various scruffy characters surrounding Tony. Some of the real players of the time make cameo appearances as well. Turn up the volume for some propulsive performances too. For an infectious, nostalgic dose of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll, join the “Party”.