Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010)

In the electrifying world of 1970s British punk-rock, one figure stands out with defiant flamboyance - Ian Dury, a man who, despite being stricken with polio as a child, refuses to let life's cruel hand dictate his narrative. His story is not just one of music, but of a life lived loud and hard, with a rebellious spirit that resonates on every stage he commands. Dury's tale begins in the stark surroundings of a special needs school, where he contracts polio from a swimming pool. The harsh bullying he endures, particularly from the orderly Hargreaves, shapes him into a hardened survivor, instilling in him an iconoclastic approach to life that would eventually fuel his controversial contributions to the Year of the Disabled. From his initial foray into the gritty world of music, playing in seedy pubs with Kilburn and the High Roads, Dury ascends to chart success with the backing of the Blockheads and his musical collaborator, Chaz Jankel. His onstage persona is flamboyant, his performances electrifying, his life a whirlwind of sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Offstage, his life is an intricate tapestry of relationships. Separated from the enduringly patient Betty, whom he refuses to divorce, he shares his life with the much younger Denise and his cherished son Baxter, who follows in his father's performing footsteps. In the year 2000, Ian Dury bids farewell to the world, leaving behind a legacy that belies his comparatively short life. His tale is a testament to the power of defiance, the allure of punk-rock, and the enduring spirit of a man who refused to be defined by his circumstances.

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is a drama movie featuring Andy Serkis and directed by Mat Whitecross.

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