---
title: "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"
year: 2010
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll"
fi1m_id: "sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll"
imdb_id: "tt1393020"
tmdb_id: 37234
wikidata_id: "Q2044687"
fi1m_score: 65
critics_score: 60
critics_reviews: 12
published: "2026-10-01T21:01:44.471779+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-01T21:01:56.242638+00:00"
region: "PH"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010)

Directed by Mat Whitecross · 1h 55m · Drama

## Identity

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll
- **IMDb ID:** tt1393020
- **TMDB ID:** 37234
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2044687
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1393020/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/37234, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2044687

**Fi1m score: 65** · Critics 60 from 12 reviews

*In a sentence:* Andy Serkis sings, and for a moment we stop trying to untangle the biography

> Andy Serkis gives Ian Dury a fierce, convincing presence in a music biography that struggles to organise the life around him. The songs are worth hearing; the family drama is harder to recommend.

## Synopsis

Ian Dury (Andy Serkis) is a musician whose personal life shares the story with his performances. Chaz Jankel (Tom Hughes), Betty Dury (Olivia Williams), Denise (Naomie Harris) and Baxter Dury (Bill Milner) are among the people around him. The drama moves between music and family, following Ian Dury as a performer and as a man whose behaviour affects other lives. His songs form part of a portrait concerned with what happens away from a performance as well as during one.

## Review

Andy Serkis is the reason to watch *Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll*, a music biography whose busy presentation makes an already untidy story harder to follow. Director Mat Whitecross pursues something of Ian Dury’s unruliness, and there is something welcome in that ambition. The trouble is that activity keeps taking the place of explanation. The musical performances reward the attention that the domestic drama too often takes for granted.

We were stirred by the singing, particularly the force Andy Serkis gives Ian Dury’s distinctive phrasing. He gets the physical presence right too, making the musical performances feel urgent even when the surrounding story has lost its way. Chaz Jankel’s music helps make these the passages in which the film feels most sure of what it is doing. The pleasure is strong enough that the return to the personal story can feel like an interruption.

The performance also has moments when the effort to hold our attention becomes too visible. Olivia Williams as Betty Dury and Naomie Harris as Denise have the difficult job of making other lives matter beside such an insistent central figure. Bill Milner’s Baxter Dury adds another claim on our attention, but Paul Viragh’s screenplay keeps bringing us back to familiar family drama. The private material takes up enough of the film that its conventional treatment becomes a substantial problem, particularly for anyone drawn here by the music.

Cinematographers Christopher Ross and Brian Tufano give the film a visual restlessness that suits its lead, although the insistence on keeping things lively becomes wearing. Richard Bullock’s production design has to compete with that activity, and the settings get too little chance to establish a life around the performer. We can understand the wish to make a film about Ian Dury look unruly. But the domestic scenes need enough space for us to notice somebody other than him, and the busy presentation works against that.

Peter Christelis’s editing makes the film harder to follow by breaking up a story that needs firmer connections. At 115 minutes, there is time to help us understand the people around Ian Dury, but we repeatedly find ourselves catching up with changes of direction. The shifts interrupt our interest in the relationships, and recovering that interest takes longer than the film allows. Several passages would benefit from the simple decision to stay with a person or a situation until it has become clear why it matters.

For all its bustle, this remains a fairly conventional music biography, with a dominant central performance doing much of the work that the writing has left unfinished. Mat Whitecross deserves credit for showing Ian Dury’s flaws, and the film never depends on our finding him easy to like. The songs make the strongest case for putting up with the muddle. Anyone after a clear introduction to Ian Dury should expect to do some work afterwards.

*Fi1m score 65, published 1 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are divided on Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, but praise for Andy Serkis is consistent across favourable and hostile notices. Critics single out his recreation of Ian Dury’s voice, physical presence and charisma, with several finding humanity beneath the flamboyance. The more enthusiastic reviews also praise the musical sequences, unruly energy and humour, seeing a moving portrait that acknowledges Dury’s difficult behaviour without losing affection for him.

The disagreement centres on whether the filmmaking matches its lead performance. Some critics enjoy the energetic visual style; others find it distracting or see a conventional family melodrama beneath it. Variety objects to the fragmented script and overlong, confusing edit, while Slant Magazine finds the direction flashy and the biography clichéd. Total Film’s milder reservation is that the emphasis on Dury’s personal life leaves too little music. The spread is wide, from wholehearted enthusiasm to firm rejection.

## Straight answers

**Is Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll worth watching?**

*Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* is worth considering for Andy Serkis’s forceful performance as Ian Dury and the singing; we score it 65 out of 100. We find the music stirring, but the busy editing and conventional family drama make this a better choice for those interested in Dury than for anyone seeking a clear introduction to his life.

**How long is Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, and what is it rated?**

*Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* runs 1h 55m. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll in the Philippines?**

*Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* is not on any streaming or rental service in the Philippines at the moment. It is available in 7 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, and is it suitable for children?**

*Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* has a UK 15 certificate, so it is unsuitable for children under 15. That certificate indicates material intended for older teenagers and adults, but does not by itself establish how violent or frightening the film is; we cannot offer a more specific warning about either.

**How does Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll compare to Control?**

*Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* is the busier, less coherent music biography; we recommend [*Control*](https://film.one/film/control) as the stronger film for giving its subject’s private unhappiness time to register. Both have compelling central performances and musical passages, but *Control* is more patient, even when its domestic scenes need trimming; the Ian Dury film is chiefly worth considering for Andy Serkis.

**What should I watch after Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll?**

After *Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll*, try [*Control*](https://film.one/film/control) (2007, Fi1m 80): A restrained music biography that gives private unhappiness time to register. Then [*The Commitments*](https://film.one/film/the-commitments) (1991, Fi1m 82): For the songs, the bad temper and the business of sharing a stage; and [*Nashville*](https://film.one/film/nashville) (1975, Fi1m 89): Music and private disappointments crowd together, with room for more than one voice.

### Reviews we read (12)

- **Evening Standard** (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the film witty, wild and surprisingly moving. Andy Serkis’s deeply human performance as Ian Dury is singled out as the film’s greatest strength. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/sex-drugs-rock-roll-is-a-farrago-of-brilliant-nonsense-7439401.html)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the biopic passionate and gripping, powered by an outstanding central performance. He especially praises Serkis’s convincing recreation of Ian Dury and his eerily good vocals. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/jan/07/sex-drugs-rock-roll-review)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Ray Bennett (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film rowdy, ragged, and wholly entertaining, with broad appeal for punk-rock fans. Andy Serkis’s performance is singled out for capturing Ian Dury’s distinctive voice and flamboyant manner. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/sex-drugs-rock-roll-film-29083/)
- **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (4/5): The review awards the film four stars, indicating a positive verdict. The available description criticizes the increasingly drab state of British music films, but the review text is unavailable to identify a specific feature it praises. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/sex-drugs-rock-roll-1)
- **Empire**, Philip Wilding (65/100, inferred): The review finds the film an occasionally dazzling but confusing portrait of Ian Dury. It singles out Andy Serkis’s remarkable performance for praise. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/sex-drugs-rock-roll-review/)
- **Little White Lies**, Matt Bochenski (3/3/3): The review finds the film entertaining but ultimately conventional, describing it as a family melodrama dressed in rock ’n’ roll. It praises Andy Serkis’s mesmerising performance and the film’s energetic visual style. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll)
- **Total Film**, Neil Smith (3/5): Smith finds the biopic exuberant but says its focus on Dury’s personal life may disappoint viewers seeking more music. He particularly praises Andy Serkis’s charismatic performance, highlighting his rendition of “Spasticus Autisticus.” [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/sex-drugs-rock-roll-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele (30/100, inferred): Abele finds the film formulaic and oddly sentimental, despite its charismatic lead performance. He singles out Andy Serkis’s ferocious portrayal of Ian Dury as the film’s strongest element. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jun-24-la-sex-drugs-rock-roll-review-story-story.html)
- **Variety**, Leslie Felperin (30/100, inferred): Felperin finds the biopic weakened by a fragmented script and an overlong, confusing edit, despite its lively performances of Dury’s songs. She praises Andy Serkis’s convincing portrayal of Dury’s voice and physical presence, though she criticizes his mugging. [Read](https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/sex-drugs-rock-roll-1117941855/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Lauren Wissot (15/100, inferred): The critic pans the film as a clichéd, hollow biopic overwhelmed by flashy direction. The standout praise is reserved for the stellar cast, especially Andy Serkis as Dury. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/tribeca-film-festival-2010-sex-drugs-rock-roll/)
- **Digital Spy**, Mayer Nissim (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the biopic energetic and deeply respectful without glossing over Ian Dury’s flaws. Andy Serkis’s vivid performance and the faultless musical sequences are especially praised. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a194114/sex-drugs-rock-roll/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film uneven and its subject increasingly hard to like, despite its flashes of energy. Andy Serkis’s fierce, physically convincing performance is singled out as what lifts the film. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/sex-drugs-rock-roll-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Mat Whitecross
- **Director:** Mat Whitecross
- **Writer:** Paul Viragh
- **Cinematography:** Brian Tufano, Christopher Ross
- **Editor:** Peter Christelis
- **Music:** Chaz Jankel
- **Production design:** Richard Bullock
- **Costume design:** Joanna Eatwell
- **Producer:** Damian Jones, Sarah Arnott, Serena Cullen
- **Cast:** Andy Serkis as Ian Dury; Tom Hughes as Chaz Jankel; Olivia Williams as Betty Dury; Naomie Harris as Denise; Bill Milner as Baxter Dury; Ray Winstone as Bill Drury; Arthur Darvill as Mick Gallagher; Luke Evans as Clive Richards
- **Runtime:** 1h 55m
- **First release (the UK):** 8 January 2010
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Budget:** $2 million

## Where to watch in the Philippines

Not streaming, renting or buying in the Philippines at the last check.

Also available in: AT, CA, CH, DE, GB, IE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Control* (2007), Fi1m 80: A restrained music biography that gives private unhappiness time to register. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/control.md)
- *The Commitments* (1991), Fi1m 82: For the songs, the bad temper and the business of sharing a stage. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-commitments.md)
- *The Singer* (2006): A working singer receives patient attention without being required to become a legend.
- *Nashville* (1975), Fi1m 89: Music and private disappointments crowd together, with room for more than one voice. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/nashville.md)
- *Linda Linda Linda* (2005): A gentler account of making music with people who complicate the process.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll