Sex(and)Drugs(and)Rock(and)Roll (2010) Director: Damian Jones

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, the biopic of Ian Dury, is a fine, fine film. Like The Social Network, it doesn't portray its protagonist in the best of lights but you can't help liking and laughing at Andy Serkis' marvellous portrayl of the Blockheads frontman.

It's a crazy and erratic journey through Dury's rise to fame. Similar to Bronson, the film uses the stage as the set-piece for Dury to tell us about his journey - especially how polio crippled him as a child and his battle to make his disability 'accepted'. It's also, deep down, a film about fathers and sons; we see Dury shunning family life for his music but he then rebuilds his relationship with his wife and two children, centering on his son Baxter who comes to live in his mad, mad musical world. The young Bill Milner, who plays Baxter, is a knock-out - he starts off being bullied by the kids at school but ends up a total cool dude with one of the best haircuts in music film biopics. We see too Dury's love for his own father, played by Ray Winstone, and his grief at his death. His Mother is never mentioned or seen.

But onto Serkis - his homage to Dury is mesmerising and committed. He captures Dury perfectly, not only with his singing, but with his mannerism and 'look' (by the way, the fashion in this film is AMAZING). Quite rightly, he makes or breaks this film and he's a joy to watch. Even if you don't know much about Ian Dury, you'll be captivated by the film's visual assault on you and Serkis taking control of a charismatic and entertaining character.

I'd also like to take this moment for a personal moan about the demise of the UK Film Council, which was behind this film. Getting rid of the UK Film Council was absolutely crazy; we have such talent in this country in the film industry and people need culture, art and entertainment in tough times. Films, as outstanding as these, will now not get made.

4/5