It’s been 10 years since the Bard of Billericay, Ian Dury, died leaving a legacy of sublime songs that combined his brilliant lyrical wordplay with a rhythmic musical hall backdrop. He will also go down in history as the man who coined the phrase adopted as the title of this Dury biopic. But those looking to learn more about the man behind the music are unlikely to come away much the wiser after seeing the energetic but disjointed Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.
One essence of Dury’s work is its unpretentious directness. Despite his artistic background, he kept his music humorous and humble. It’s the opposite of the approach taken by director Mat Whitecross and first time screenwriter Paul Viragh who have been a little too Clever Trevor. Undoubtedly possessed of a vibrant energy, S&D&R&R channels it in an erratic manner, jumping all over the place so it becomes difficult to figure out where we are and what’s going on.
At the heart of the film is an exuberant performance by Andy Serkis as Dury. The actor best known for his portrayal of Gollum is a self-professed Dury fan. In reverence Serkis went to extraordinary lengths to capture the singer’s distinctive physicality brought about by the crippling effects of polio. In both looks and delivery, Serkis is the embodiment of Dury. But this obsessive attention to accuracy is at odds with a film that troubles itself little with authenticity.
The emphasis of the film is rarely on the music, instead it is more interested in exploring Dury’s abusive relationship with his father Bill (Ray Winstone) and his dysfunctional association with his own son Baxter (Bill Milner). Indeed it often feels more like Baxter’s story than that of his father. Painting a picture of a driven, complex man struggling to overcome both physical and emotional difficulties, S&D&R&R focuses on a relatively short period of Dury’s life.
We join it when the single-minded singer is more absorbed with rehearsals with his band Kilburn and the High-Roads than the birth of his son. It deals little with the time before he left the Kilburns and went out on his own, backed by The Blockheads. Having abandoned his wife Betty (Olivia Williams) and his two kids Baxter and Jemima, he begins a volatile relationship with Denise (Naomie Harris).
Those unfamiliar with Dury will find it hard to piece together the film’s chronology as it jumps back and forth in time. It’s also a very insular film, rarely referencing the world outside of Dury’s domain. It centres on the fractured relationships he struggles to maintain with his friends and family. Possessed of a fierce temper that would erupt all too frequently, S&D&R&R is not concerned with dulling the edges of Dury’s abrasive nature.
Expecting anything conventional when dealing with such an unconventional figure is inclined to be met with disappointment. S&D&R&R is not your typical biopic and for that it should be applauded. It offers a perspective that can’t be gleaned from reading between the blazing lines of his poetry. What it does in spades is illuminate Dury’s ebullient spirit and unique talent and remind us, should we ever be foolish enough to forget that, there ain’t half been some clever bastards.
Kevin Murphy
