I came to this movie with high hopes. I am a big fan of Gary Oldman's performances, and I have some interest in punk rock music. However, I was ultimately unable to engage with this movie. The problem, unfortunately, is the protagonists.
Although Oldman and Webb are very good in their roles, ultimately the film suffers from the fact that neither Sid Vicious nor Nancy Spungen were especially sympathetic figures. Frankly, they were a pair of idiot junkies whom even their own entourage couldn't stand. There was nothing tragic about what happened to them; they simply self-destructed. I simply could not care about them.
They didn't even have the saving grace of being hugely talented. Although Vicious was a good performer, he wasn't the greatest who ever lived. Spungen was mainly known for going out with Vicious. If this had been the case of a Caravaggio or Hemingway who collapsed under the weight of his own genius, it might have been more engaging.
Although Oldman and Webb are very good in their roles, ultimately the film suffers from the fact that neither Sid Vicious nor Nancy Spungen were especially sympathetic figures. Frankly, they were a pair of idiot junkies whom even their own entourage couldn't stand. There was nothing tragic about what happened to them; they simply self-destructed. I simply could not care about them.
They didn't even have the saving grace of being hugely talented. Although Vicious was a good performer, he wasn't the greatest who ever lived. Spungen was mainly known for going out with Vicious. If this had been the case of a Caravaggio or Hemingway who collapsed under the weight of his own genius, it might have been more engaging.