John Lydon hated it. It lost a huge amount of money at the box office. Many critics slated it for its gratuitous celebration of a drug/sex-fuelled countercultural lifestyle. And yet Sid & Nancy is a genuinely brilliant piece of film, exploring the tragic tale of punk's answer to Romeo and Juliet. Few biopics balance aesthetic realism, utterly over-the-top chaos and a compellingly believable story like Sid & Nancy. This is partially down to the selection of the genius Gary Oldman and the hideously underrated Chloe Webb for the film's lead roles. Not only do they deliver fantastically melodramatic but perfectly pitched performances, but they also look scarily like Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. Props to the costuming department for that. The film is undoubtedly good value for its 18+ rating. It refuses to hold back in its drugged-up and hyper-sexualised imagery. This simply adds to the realism. As a caveat, though, it's worth noting that Lydon's hatred of the film stems from his belief that there was nothing truthful about it. That doesn't stop it from being a riotous watch, though.
