Pistol (2022)
Danny Boyle directs this new 6-part mini-series about the rise of
Chrissie Hynde... with some background information on the
Sex Pistols when there is time. But seriously, I can only assume the negatives in this film are all down to regular
Baz Luhrmann writer
Craig Pearce's script and the positives are all down to Boyle's energetic direction and immersively authentic rendering of the 70s British Punk scene. It might not be an exaggeration to say that half of the 4.5hr runtime is about, or features Hynde. To the exclusion of actual members of the Pistols,
Steve Jones being the exception, since it's based on his book. The Hynde character functions as a blunt narrative device for Jones' character to sit down with and explain the plot to each other, when it doesn't need explaining, or to discuss their feelings, when their feelings were already plainly expressed in the preceding scenes. After a couple of hours, I really grew to dread those moments when the thrilling music would fade low into the background and the camera would move in close on Jones and Hynde. For example, at one point Jones is gifted a guitar once owned by
Sylvain Sylvain from the
New York Dolls, which is followed by a Hynde/Jones scene over-explaining this, featuring Jones saying
"it was Sylvain Sylvain's" and Hynde replying
"of the New York Dolls!?!" and I had to laugh, nah it was another bloke called
"Sylvain Sylvain"! If I had my way, I'd cut most of the Hynde material from the film, so she's relegated to where she should have been, as just one of the mélange of colourful and talented musicians, artists and iconic "faces" that orbited the Sex Pistols maelstrom.
That major "drag factor" aside,
'Pistol' is wonderful, exciting, funny and gritty.
Toby Wallace as Steve Jones is sensational, I was thinking, who is this guy, he's amazing, have I seen him before? Then I later realised he was Moses in the Aussie film
'Babyteeth' (My third best film of 2020), doing a flawless London accent. The rest of the cast are near perfect too, sounding and looking just like the real people they are playing, to the point where you forget you're not watching a documentary. They even sing and play the instruments like the real people. The casting director needs some awards please. Boyle's choice to do the film in old, grimy looking, 1970s 4:3, adds greatly to this verisimilitude. He portrays the Pistols and manager
Malcolm McLaren, probably accurately, as cruel and kind, geniuses and morons, heroes and tw*ts.
A great, expletive-laden, red-band trailer:
This video with the real old guys and the young actors who played them is lovely: