Sid & Nancy Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Sid & Nancy
Year: 1986
Director: Alex Cox
Country: UK
Language: English

In the late 70's punk would bring the world to its knees. The Sex Pistols, a controversial punk band from England, was responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom which would inspire many other musicians to join in. Their hits like Anarchy in The UK, God Save the Queen and Pretty Vacant definitely appealed to the pissed off Generation X youth. While Johnny Rotten was the front-man for group, their equally reckless bassist Sid Vicious, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, were often the center of attention.

Sid & Nancy is the biographical tale about the relationship between Sex Pistol's bassist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and his difficult girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). When the Sex Pistols break up after their fateful US tour, Vicious attempts a solo career while in the grip of heroin addiction. Nancy, also a junkie, sticks by his side through thick and thin. Unfortunately both of them will meet a terrible fate.

Like most film biographies, Sid & Nancy isn't very historically accurate. In-fact Johnny Rotten dismissed the film as "mere fantasy" and called it "the peter pan version" of the truth. Regardless the film is more about feeling and tone. It's about love, alienation, desperation and isolation. Sid and Nancy are probably the worst people in the world for each other, yet the film suggests that they are together because they have nobody else. Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb have constructed characters that no one would want to be or be with.

Alex Cox creates a picture that is uncomfortable and bleak, the two child-like characters seem helpless and ultimately doomed by their poor decision making. However we sympathize with them and even understand why they make some of their decisions, because they are very human and we are not perfect as well. Sid & Nancy has great cinematography and set design which really captures 1970's England. The lighting and costume design also capture the many dark moments of the film. The acting by Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb is remarkable.

In conclusion, Sid & Nancy is perhaps the most effective anti-drug film. If you were doing drugs before the watching the film, you likely wont afterwards. Cox does everything right from a technical point of view, the themes are thought provoking and it is easily re-watchable. Does it give a satisfying conclusion in regards to the mystery of Spungen's death? No, infact I would rather the death be left ambiguous, but it's still a fascinating piece of work regardless. Praise it! 4.5/5