ENGLAND IS MINE: MORRISSEY BEFORE MORRISSEY

Fans of popular music know that the tunes change with the times and so do the tastes of those listening. What was once popular suddenly falls out of grace and the next big thing is introduced. Over the years a person can alter their preferences and that’s fine, never leaving behind completely what they once enjoyed. That being said exposure to new music is a must for the real music lover.

The 60s had brought us the pop sound as delivered by the Beatles. The 70s had two genres, disco which is now hated (yet still exists) and punk which while influential really wasn’t around all that long. Then in the 80s we had the synthesized music of power pop. So those bands would be the ones considered most influential right? Wrong. Read any blog, book or article and what many consider to be the most influential band of the time is The Smiths.

For myself I never heard much by the band until decades later. So to read they were considered the most influential band in polls and their albums were among the top 500 in Rolling Stone Magazines poll kind of surprised me. Though since it was RS perhaps it shouldn’t have since they rarely choose the most popular music to promote. But in reading about the bad after watching ENGLAND IS MINE it brought a better understanding of the film to me.

Steven Morrissey (Jack Lowden) is a young man growing up in Manchester, England in the 70s. Withdrawn and a loner, he goes out to listen to music at night and then posts his reviews in the local music newspapers. His father wants him to get a job, his mother wants him to follow his passion for writing and he…well he doesn’t quite know what he wants to do.

A friend eggs him on to pursue his passion for writing, especially the poetry he puts forth. He writes constantly in booklets that he carries with him everywhere. But he can’t seem to figure out the outlet to let lose his words. Instead he takes an office job where he continues to be picked on by co-workers and is bullied by his boss. He hates it but has to make a living.

On his nights out he meets Linder Sterling (Jessica Brown Findlay), a college student and aspiring artist who thinks he’s one of the more insightful writers when it comes to his views on music. They strike up a friendship and are inseparable. Until Linder has the opportunity to move to London to pursue her dreams. She encourages Steven to do the same and he finally breaks down and joins with local guitarist Billy Duffy (Adam Lawrence) to start writing songs.

His shyness and inability to be comfortable in social situations continues to plague Steven preventing him from performing. But a final push results in his finally taking the stage and discovering he actually enjoys it. But things happen that throw his life into another downward spiral. Yes, we viewers know what became of Steven Morrissey but the film allows us a behind the scenes glimpse of how he got there.

Fans of The Smiths won’t be thrilled with this film. The movie offers little to none of their music and barely touches on their existence. Instead its focus is on Morrissey himself and what brought about his journey to live performing and how his life experiences were what were the basis of the words he brought to the table. One almost feels as if there could be a trilogy of films about his life beginning with this one, moving to his time with The Smiths and ending with his solo career.

The controversies, the legal battles and the popularity of Morrissey’s life are not even touched on in this film. Instead we remain in those formative years. While watching I kept wondering about the film. All biopics tend to play it fast and loose with the facts. Here we see his mother supporting him in every way imaginable. If that was the reality then the woman should be hailed for being one of the best mothers out there.

The performances by all are well done and leave you hoping to see more from all of the cast members here, none standing out above the rest. While Lowden may be the star and center of attention he leaves room for the other actors to play with and off of his character. He does a great job of changing his physical appearance from the start to the finish and with each new incarnation his mannerisms change as well. But to offer that sort of performance while still being generous to your co-stars is something worth noting.

Filled with plenty of music from the 60s and 70s that influenced Morrissey the only thing lacking are those Smith’s tunes. But since his formation of the group is only glimpsed in the final scene it is not to be.

One thing I found interesting and will note is the montage at the end of the film. Director Mark Gill takes us shot by shot to the various sets and location scenes where the entire story took place, unoccupied by characters or people at all. It makes you focus on all that has come before, each place having a special meaning in the life of the character. It was a nice touch that brings the entire thing around and helps the viewer to focus. All in all a good movie and one fans of Morrissey will enjoy.

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