Sid And Nancy (1986) Full Review

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00:00Hey everyone welcome back to another cult movie review with me Bo here on the Film Scene Investigation channel.

00:21Thanks so much for checking out the video.

00:24In today's review I'm going to be reviewing the 1986 biopic Sid and Nancy.

00:33Before we get into it guys, if you haven't already, please do consider subscribing to the channel.

00:40All the support is greatly appreciated.

00:43So, Sid and Nancy from 1986 was written and directed by the British filmmaker Alex Cox and starred Chloe Webb and Gary Oldman in the lead roles.

00:58The movie centered around the chaotic life of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, two key figures in the 70s punk movement.

01:10The couple had a very toxic relationship which led to their premature deaths in the late 70s.

01:20While their story is indeed a tragic one, the 1986 movie did somewhat glorify the lives of Sid and Nancy for cinematic purposes.

01:36Now, I saw this movie many years ago for the first time when I was a teenager, kind of first getting into music, especially the punk music of the 70s and 80s.

01:50I was already a fan of the Sex Pistols and, yeah, I knew who Sid Vicious was.

01:57So, finding out that there was this movie directed by Alex Cox, yeah, I guess I was kind of intrigued to see a depiction of them on the big screen.

02:09So, in terms of the narrative, the movie began with the New York authorities at the scene of Nancy Spungen's death.

02:19We cut to a very visibly shaken Sid Vicious, who was played by Gary Oldman, sitting on the bed, I guess trying to contemplate what had happened to his girlfriend.

02:34Vicious was then taken into custody, where he was interviewed by police.

02:41The cops had a strong suspicion that Sid was responsible for Nancy's death, given he was the only other person in the apartment at the time.

02:53I know there's been some conspiracy theories over the years about a drug dealer maybe entering and killing Nancy while Sid was asleep.

03:02I mean, I don't really kind of go with that theory.

03:06All logical reasoning points to the fact that Sid likely had some involvement with Nancy's death.

03:18As Vicious was being questioned about how he met Nancy, the film then went back a few years and showed how they met for the first time.

03:30Sid had just joined the Sex Pistols, replacing the original bass player Glenn Matlock.

03:37And yeah, the band were on the up. They were getting mainstream attention and becoming more and more popular by the day.

03:47But the band's increasing popularity didn't seem to bother Sid.

03:53You know, replacing Glenn Matlock, who was a talented musician in his own right.

03:59You know, it didn't phase him, kind of trying to fill some big shoes.

04:06It was like Sid was just numb to it all, you know.

04:10Whereas some people may have had some reservations about entering, you know, a fully formed band like the Sex Pistols,

04:16who already had their material, you know, written and recorded.

04:20He jumped in head first. And yeah, his main priority was just, you know, being in the moment and having a good time.

04:31We then saw the trials and tribulations of Sid and Nancy as they became a couple and both developed a very strong addiction for heroin.

04:43Sid had indeed dabbled in drugs before. He had injected speed, but he'd never touched anything like heroin before.

04:54Nancy, who was already a user of heroin, suggested to Sid that he might want to try some.

05:02And so he did. And the rest is history.

05:07Everything seemed fine at first when the band, the Sex Pistols were selling out shows and attracting, you know, a big mainstream audience.

05:19But as soon as the band split, the money dried up, the fame dried up and Sid and Nancy's lives just became worse and worse.

05:32The two would eventually move into the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, where Sid attempted to pursue a solo career.

05:43But unfortunately for him, he failed in his pursuit of fame and fortune.

05:49I mean, nobody really cared about Sid without the Sex Pistols.

05:54And given Sid was suddenly so dependent on heroin, you know, the whole thing was just a major car crash.

06:04The film culminated with the argument that led to Nancy Spungen's death.

06:10Rather than shy away from the circumstances, the movie did show how Sid came to stab Nancy in this moment of madness.

06:23While the film indeed had a more positive, upbeat tone, the death was a fairly disturbing scene.

06:33And I'm really glad it was handled in that way.

06:38Now, John Lydon, the lead singer of the Sex Pistols, has gone on record and criticized the movie's ending, which saw Sid and Nancy reunite in this peculiar ending sequence.

06:55You know, we had already seen Nancy die.

06:58She was dead, yet somehow she came back.

07:03She was alive and sitting in this New York taxi cab, waiting for Sid to join her.

07:11Lydon has dismissed the movie and its ending for its romanticized approach to the story.

07:20And, you know, in some ways, I can completely see his point.

07:25Sid and Nancy's final months were indeed very ugly and tumultuous, yet this movie took a different direction in order to attract a wider mainstream audience.

07:41But, you know, to be fair, in terms of the context to the rest of the film, I thought that the ending worked for what it was.

07:50Kinda like a dream sequence of sorts.

07:54And because the movie was presented through the eyes and perspective of Sid Vicious,

08:02the filmmakers were able to take some artistic liberties with the narrative.

08:09You know, I think to enjoy Sid and Nancy, moviegoers need to go into this film with the right mindset.

08:20People expecting a truthful and honest depiction will no doubt be disappointed.

08:29I mean, the whole production was pretty much based around the myth and legend that was Sid Vicious.

08:41The gobby punk rocker who nobody could control.

08:45I mean, you know, that was a gimmick.

08:48That was a persona.

08:50And it was all hyped up by the British press.

08:53You know, I'm not gonna claim I'm some super fan of Sid Vicious and that I know the real Sid.

09:00But, you know, I'm a fan and I have seen many of interviews of Sid Vicious.

09:08I've read many articles and documentaries.

09:11And when it comes to his backstory, yeah, I know it pretty well.

09:18So, looking into Sid's background, it's clear that the punk attitude that Sid had was clearly just smoke and mirrors

09:29for his inner turmoil.

09:32You know, Sid was neglected as a kid after his dad abandoned him and his mother, Anne.

09:39Once the dad left, the mum had, you know, major financial struggles.

09:45And from that, Sid was not brought up, but dragged up.

09:51And as a teenager, Sid was a lost cause with no prospects.

09:58He had no identity and was actively searching for or to be a part of something.

10:06And so Sid looks around him and what did he see?

10:11He saw the emerging and thriving punk movement and he wanted to be a part of that.

10:18It was only by mere chance that Sid became a key figure in the history of punk rock.

10:26The director, Alex Cox, could have gone so much deeper with Sid's story.

10:32But, if anything, this movie was more like a highlight reel.

10:38Everything was seen in, you know, rose-tinted glasses.

10:43And in that respect, it kind of was a disappointment.

10:49And anyone that's ever, you know, done some research on Sid Vicious will know that his mother, Anne, was an integral part of his life.

10:58So, if Alex Cox, the director, was aiming for some authenticity, then he absolutely should have cast the mum as a main character in the story.

11:12She was a pivotal part of the story of Sid and Nancy.

11:17So, the fact that we don't get her in this movie kind of, kind of sums up what this film is.

11:26A very condensed version of events.

11:29For many years, I have yearned for a more hyper-realistic biopic on Sid Vicious that included his chaotic childhood and, you know, his final moments before he had his overdose.

11:46But, yeah, I doubt we'll ever get anything like that.

11:51And it's a shame, because I think there's a story to tell.

11:55And if a competent filmmaker, you know, got their hands on it, I think it could be something really special.

12:04And while we're on the subject of Sid Vicious, I might as well just add my views on his death.

12:12Because, you know, if you ask me, I really do believe that Sid purposely overdosed with the help from his mother.

12:23And this all really came down to the fact that Sid just couldn't cope anymore.

12:30He didn't have the strength to carry on.

12:34While Sid had been held in prison, he had finally got clean from heroin and had not touched drugs for the first time in years.

12:45Once Sid got clean, suddenly he became severely depressed.

12:50And that was because he finally had a reality check.

12:54The realisation of what his future looked like finally clicked into place.

13:01Nancy had died.

13:03And Sid was undoubtedly looking at a lengthy prison sentence.

13:09Maybe 10 to possibly 20 years.

13:13One big detail that I think a lot of people kind of overlook was the fact that when Sid was held on remand in Rikers Island, Sid was sexually assaulted by another prisoner.

13:28And at that point, Sid had not actually even been charged.

13:33He was still on remand awaiting, you know, a court case.

13:37And yet he had already got a little taste of what's to come if, you know, he went back to prison.

13:45And so knowing that and having that knowledge of, you know, potential further sexual abuse, Sid just wanted out at all costs.

13:58Sid's mother, Anne, also knew this.

14:02They both, you know, shared a very close bond and Sid told her everything.

14:07And so she knew that really the best option for her son was to die.

14:16She didn't want her son to rot away in prison for the next 10 or 20 years.

14:22So she helped her son take heroin, take an overdose.

14:28And in that way, Sid would die young and the legend of Sid Vicious would live on.

14:37Now, when it comes to performances, I thought Gary Oldman was pretty good in the role as Sid Vicious.

14:45Oldman definitely didn't look like Sid, nor did he sound like him.

14:51But he definitely embodied Sid's style and onstage persona.

14:58Oldman also had some very good chemistry with his co-star, Chloe Webb.

15:04The two seemed like a genuine couple on screen, which helped with the believability of the story.

15:13You know, one thing I've always found interesting about Sid and Nancy was the fact that Courtney Love,

15:20indeed starred in this movie.

15:22Her involvement, yeah, has always really intrigued me.

15:25I've always known Courtney Love as the lead singer of Hole.

15:30And of course her, you know, association with Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.

15:35But, yeah, I had no idea that she had kind of done some acting before she got into the music industry.

15:45You know, when I watched the movie, I didn't see her name in the credits.

15:50So, yeah, I did a double take when I saw her standing next to Gary Oldman.

15:55I was like, Courtney Love?

15:57And, you know, it is funny to me how the fact that Courtney Love went on to have a more successful music career than both the Sex Pistols and Sid Vicious.

16:10Courtney Love, undeniably, back in the heyday, you know, the early 90s, she was a real rock chick who could actually sing and perform live.

16:22Something that Nancy Spungen could never do.

16:26One of the film's main strengths was its brilliant cinematography that was provided by the legendary Roger Deakins.

16:36He created some wonderful imagery and his work definitely raised the film's overall quality.

16:44While the shot of Sid and Nancy kissing in the alleyway has become, I guess, the most iconic, you know, visual of the movie.

16:57I must say I really did like that scene where Sid and Nancy were kind of comatose on the bed and we saw the fire break out in front of them.

17:08They were completely zoned out and had no idea about the impending danger that was coming towards them.

17:15Yeah, just some great visual imagery there by Deakins as, you know, the fire was roaring and, yeah, they just laid there.

17:25Music wise, the legendary musician Joe Strummer provided the song Love Kills, which played at the end credits of the movie.

17:35I personally love this track and, yeah, it definitely suited the movie's more kooky and upbeat tone.

17:46I'd already heard of Love Kills a few years before actually seeing the movie.

17:51So, yeah, for me it was just a really awesome Joe Strummer solo track.

17:58But, yeah, it really worked well with the film and, yeah, the perfect end credits song.

18:06Alex Cox, the director, was right to involve Strummer in the film's soundtrack.

18:12Strummer was a talented musician in his own right and his song Love Kills, this catchy new wave 80s track, was the perfect way to close out the film.

18:25And so, dislikes for Sid and Nancy from 1986.

18:32My biggest dislike for the film would have to be the actress Chloe Webb and her performance as Nancy Spungen.

18:42Overall, I thought she was a pretty weak link and deep down I don't think she was right for the part.

18:54Especially at the start of the film with Chloe Webb's performance coming off more like a caricature or a poor imitation.

19:05Everything she did on screen kind of was dialed up to 11 and, you know, it did get somewhat annoying.

19:14And it did make me question just how much prep work did Chloe Webb do before she began filming.

19:23I say this because we indeed have actual footage of the real Nancy Spungen.

19:30We know how she talked, how she walked, her mannerisms.

19:34And so that could have been used as a template.

19:37But it seemed like Chloe Webb was just, you know, doing her own thing.

19:42I think maybe Chloe Webb didn't really truly understand the character of Nancy Spungen, who she was as a person.

19:51Because at the end of the day, even though Nancy Spungen was indeed wild.

19:57And, you know, she had her moments.

19:59She did have a somewhat of a brain.

20:02She wasn't completely inept.

20:05And with that, this portrayal by Chloe Webb really was pretty lackluster.

20:13And so, ratings for Sid and Nancy from 1986.

20:20I'm going to be rating this movie a solid 4.5 out of 10.

20:27Sid and Nancy was this interesting biopic that delivered an artistic depiction of the 70s punk scene.

20:40The movie's main strength, undoubtedly, was the cinematography by Roger Deakins.

20:47A stylized interpretation of what happened to Sid and Nancy.

20:55I do indeed recommend this movie.

20:57I think it's a pretty decent cult film.

21:00But I would say that you should take everything with a pinch of salt.

21:07If you're after a more truthful version of events, then there are many documentaries out there available on the subject.

21:17And well, that's all from me today, guys.

21:20I hope you have enjoyed the video.

21:22I'll be back next week with another cult movie review.

21:25Don't forget to like and subscribe.

21:27And, of course, take care.

21:29See you all next week.

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