Pistol Review
The Sex Pistols are one of the defining bands of the punk genre, despite only ever releasing one album before completely falling apart. They're more than deserving of having their story told, and FX's Pistol does an admirable job of bringing the tale of these punk stalwarts to the screen.
Created by Craig Pearce and based on the book Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol by founding member and guitarist Steve Jones and directed by Danny Boyle, Pistol manages to imbue its sometimes formulaic story of a band on the rise with an anarchic spirit and frenetic style that both enhance and embody the tale of four British punks making it big.
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Being based on Jones's book means that the story is told mostly from his point of view. It traces the trajectory of both the band and Jones himself, starting with his days stealing musical equipment from the Odeon and moving on to his time playing guitar in one of the most influential bands in England's history. Toby Wallace plays Jones with a combination of pathos and mostly unearned bravado. Jones talks a big game and appears ready to make name for himself in front of an audience, but freezes up when he's finally given the chance.
That's where John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten comes in. Recruited by the band's manager, the lead singer becomes the face of the band, lending the music and lyrics a powerful punk spirit. However, his presence creates tension among the members. Though they may all play well together, it's clear that none of these people are close friends. This early friction serves as potent foreshadowing for the rest of the Sex Pistols' trajectory: marred by controversy, disagreements, and eventually a famous case of murder.
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