Sid & Nancy

 

 

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Writing as a Sex Pistols fan, I really can't stand this film. The actress playing Nancy is more annoying and ugly than the woman herself. If this was how Nancy really was someone would have killed her long before Sid. None of the Sex Pistols have endorsed this movie, citing that the majority of it is complete fiction. The plot, if you can call it that, really meanders. Gary Oldman is likable as always, one good thing the film has going for it.

Sex, drugs, rock'n'roll. "Sid and Nancy" are crammed to the brim with those things, as well as a massive helping of death. This biopic follows the love affair between Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, set in the grimy, bloody, filthy punk subculture of the era -- and Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb are absolutely amazing.

Vicious (Oldman) was part of rising punk band the Sex Pistols when he met Spungen (Webb), an American groupie whom he finds oddly fascinating, despite the fact that her voice could etch glass. They also fight all the time, but make up just as fast.

So much to the disgust of the other Sex Pistols (especially Johnny Rotten) begin a passionate affair full of love, hate, sex and heroin addiction; Vicious lost focus on the band and drifting out on his own with Nancy. Little by little, the lovers slid into a hell of drugs, squalor and self-loathing -- until the day when Spungen died of a stab wound in the Chelsea Hotel.

They say that a lot of "Sid and Nancy" is fictionalized, but I'll freely admit that I'm not sure how much was. One thing is for sure -- the movie is a raw, painfully bleak experience occasionally lightened by moments of actual love and romance, but mostly overshadowed by the drugs and violence that were always present in Spungen and Vicious' relationship.

Alex Cox also does a brilliant job painting the punk subculture of the time -- lots of nastiness, screaming, blood, grime, garbage-filled alleys and howling music. And he spends the entire movie slowly sliding Spungen and Vicious down into their own private hell, alienating everybody and wrecking their bodies with drugs. The most horrible part is that he really makes you FEEL how they started with the world at their feet, but ended up in a world as small as their squalid hotel room.

The only problem is that sometimes he goes a bit overboard on the symbolism. Think garbage raining down like flowers during a Sid/Nancy kiss, or the weird prophetic dream where Sid shoots a "punk angel" Nancy only to have her come up onstage and embrace him.

Oldman and Webb are absolutely stunning in this role -- Oldman's face isn't quite like Vicious', but his mumbling emaciated performance is perfect. And every time you start to get sick of Vicious' antics, Oldman makes you feel sorry for him. And Webb's portrayal of Nancy is shrill and annoying enough to peel paint ("Whyyyyyyy?! I aaaaaaam noooooot! We are SO maaarried!"), but it's absolutely spot-on.

"Sid and Nancy" leaves you wondering if it's a rock'n'roll love story, or the tragic slide of two junkies into oblivion. Or, you know, both.

this was actually a pretty good movie. the reason i gave it a 4 was chloe webb! this woman drives me NUTS! why didn't this role go to courtney love? she would have been PERFECT for the role. gary oldman had a GREAT performance. another reason for the 4 was it was kinda long and not 100% truthful which would have been cool to see. my favorite scene was the dumpster one. i would have liked to have seen sid actually die in the movie. the sound quality kind of sucked! i say do a remake that would be so cool w/ all of the new technology and stuff we have today!

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5.0 out of 5 stars great movie
Wonderful movie!Very hard to find in my area,unless you order online.Gary Oldman amazingly is a dead ringer (no pun intended) for Sid Vicious at the beginning (although in most of... Read more

Published on Jun 24 2004 by irememberhalloween

4.0 out of 5 stars Anarchy in the Sid Vicious
Wow, now that is what I call a shocking film. Sid & Nancy is not so gory or grotesque as it makes you turn your head sideway. Read more

Published on April 13 2004 by Kelvicious

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, sad, and disturbing...
God, What a movie. The story of Sid and nancy was not only pitiful, but strangely romantic. This was not easy to watch- it was disturbing and really sad, but undeniably brilliant... Read more

Published on April 6 2004 by M. I.

3.0 out of 5 stars a disturbing film but it has an important message
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD version of the film.

This movie while distrubing has an important message. Read more

Published on Mar 25 2004 by Ted

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Thing Sid Passed Away
The best part of the film is when Sid V. overdoses on smack. Next.........you can give a thumbs up to his Mum for buying the horse that put Sid six feet under ground. Read more

Published on Mar 10 2004 by Bo Ling

5.0 out of 5 stars mind blowing!!!
The tragic brutal love story of the "sex pistols" base player Sid Vicious and his American girlfriend Nancy Spungen. These performances are amazing. Read more

Published on Feb 29 2004 by newfound32

5.0 out of 5 stars good film
This is a good film but theres no special features. It would be cool if there is but there isn't but either way this films cool. Read more

Published on Feb 29 2004 by newfound32

5.0 out of 5 stars magnificent!
"Sid and Nancy" is an extraordinary film! It is an excellent portrayal of the couple. I am a huge fan of the Sex Pistols, and I thought the film was entertaining as well as... Read more

Published on Feb 28 2004 by ilvhalsparks

5.0 out of 5 stars Sid Vicious
When i first saw this movie..there was something about it that made me want to watch it again. So i watched it 3 more times before we had to return it. Then i re-rented it... Read more

Published on Feb 8 2004 by Meghan

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoy It For What It Is
First of all like most movies this is fictionlized and only based on a true story. If you are a die hard Sex Pistols fan that can't accept anything slightly varying from truth... Read more

Published on Jan 11 2004 by Amy Arden

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