Anton Corbijn's Ian Curtis biopic, 'Control,' opened last week to audiences in select cities around the country after enjoying critical acclaim from The New Yorker and The New York Times, among others. And if the crowd at New York Film Forum's late show last Wednesday night is any indication of those that saw the film opening day, it's safe to say call the crowd in question a discerning one.

Joy Division devotees, film enthusiasts and hipsters young and old gathered at the Forum's small screening room to relive the rise and fall of the post-punk hero, all through the lens of legendary celebrity photographer turned director Anton Corbijn, who has shot photographs for everyone from U2 and David Bowie to Tom Waits and, of course, Joy Division, whom he photographed extensively in 1979. The first feature film for Corbijn, 'Control' is, unsurprisingly, a gorgeous film -- each shot in line with its director's dramatic and shadowy black-and-white aesthetic. It is, somewhat surprisingly, however, a great theatrical achievement. Leaning on Curtis' widow, Deborah, and her book 'Touching From a Distance' for his movie's authenticity, Corbijn was able to deliver an honest, at times heart-wrenching, portrayal of Ian Curtis himself -- respectful of, but, importantly, not totally reliant upon his role as the frontman of Joy Division.

Sam Riley, who you may have recognized as the actor who played The Fall frontman Mark E. Smith in 2002's '24 Hour Party People,' gives a stand-out performance as Curtis, portraying the deeply troubled man in the film's intensely intimate manner, from his physical ailments due to epilepsy to his emotional struggles with matters of love, obligation and, ultimately, self-loathing. But while 'Control' will leave your heart a little weary, it's not all tears and torture. Performances from the truly admirable Cast Version of Joy Division, who went to great lengths -- from Curtis' low drone to Hook's melodic bass playing -- to replicate the deeply unique sound of the mostly-Manchester band, lighten the moodiness of the film and evoke the kind of respect and awe that's necessary for any film involving this seminal band.