The music biopic has been known to stick to a certain formula, to the extent where Jake Kasdan's 2007 cult comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story has made the genre nearly superfluous. Yet in the wake of box office hits like Straight Outta Compton and Bohemian Rhapsody, the formula has become a golden goose for Hollywood. Films like the critically acclaimed Elton John biopic Rocketman told the familiar rise to fame and overcoming addiction story through the guise of a fantastical jukebox musical to great success. Last year's feature film Respect followed the empowering true story of Aretha Franklin, which was already told just a few months prior in Season 3 of National Geographic's anthology biographical series Genius. This year will offer the cinematic retellings of the careers of larger-than-life icons like Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston with Elvis and I Wanna Dance With Somebody. In addition to those, there are also biopics in the works of Madonna, Cher, Bob Marley, the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, and The Grateful Dead. Hell, even Weird Al Yankovic is cashing in on the fun with the part-parody part-biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. So what makes the Pistol, the biographical miniseries on the revolutionary 70s punk rock band the Sex Pistols any different?
Well, the truth is, the story behind the Sex Pistols is far from the glamorous portrait of fame that other biopics have illustrated. Danny Boyle proved to be the perfect choice to bring their story to life, injecting his sensibilities from his breakout film Trainspotting into the story of Steve Jones (Toby Wallace). Jones' upbringing was far from pleasant, he and his mother were constantly abused by his cruel alcoholic step-father, he was in and out of juvenile detention facilities, and he was illiterate. Jones' ultimate dream in life, to be a rock star on the level of David Bowie, seemed far out of reach, until he starts collecting stolen equipment from concert stages. But Jones realizes that he and his mates can never really be sexy superstars like The Beatles, they come to the realization that they represent the unseen, uncared for, blue-collar working-class people of England.
Under the wing of Malcolm MacLaren (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Vivienne Westwood (Talulah Riley) the owners of the eccentrically named boutique store SEX, Jones' dreams of rock and roll start to become more of a reality with the formation of the Sex Pistols. As band members come and go, sometimes by force, Jones starts to become disillusioned by his new lifestyle and falls under the influence of drugs. He's increasingly at odds with the band's new lead singer, Johnny Rotten (Anson Boon), doubting his own self-worth thanks to his rocky upbringing, and he's hopelessly in love with the American rock journalist Chrissie Hynde (Sydney Chandler).
While the series additionally dives into the tragic, drug and sex-fueled romance between Sid Vicious (Louis Partridge) and Nancy Spungen (Emma Appleton) as well as Johnny Rotten's encounter with Pauline (Bianca Stephens), a schizophrenic woman who served as the inspiration behind the song "Bodies," and glimpses at the life of Jordan aka Pamela Rooke (Maisie Williams), Pistol is first and foremost the story of Steve Jones. It's this particular creative decision that ultimately makes Pistol work as well as it does. While there are aspects of the show that tread familiar ground in regard to rock n' roll biopics including the tension between the band members, the fact Jones is reportedly the only member of the band who consulted with the show makes it feel more honest.
Pistol is never trying to make the audience like its characters but instead trying to make you understand them. There are no ego or skeletons hidden in the closet; instead, for the most part, we are confronted with the often bleak reality of the Sex Pistols. When the series shows off a scene with that band at odds with one another, it doesn't opt to follow it by showing a scene of band members hugging it out moments later.
Boyle's directorial style is sporadic, rigged, and more in tune with his work on Trainspotting than say a Slumdog Millionaire. There's a vintage aesthetic in the way the series is framed, Boyle and his team weren't fixated on making Pistol feel like the oft-coined 'prestige TV' but instead its own unique thing. That's what ends up making Pistol as entertaining as it is. Boyle's vision makes the show's pacing feel like an adrenaline rush. Accompanied by some stellar acting in particular from Boon as the notorious Johnny Rotten. Boon clearly understands the kind of energy to exude in a series about a band as anti-establishment as the Sex Pistols. From his introductory audition scene to the series' final moments, Boon never loses sight of Rotten. While some of his co-stars feel occasionally sidelined or two-dimensional, Boon gives the series an electric shock whenever it's in need of one. Another notable performance is that of Williams; while her role as Pamela Rooke feels small, she truly impresses in her first scene, riding a bike to the train station in nothing but a yellow sheer top, seemingly without a care in the world of the petrified onlookers.
While the series features plenty of raw moments, the opening episode feels too familiar in its execution. Series creator and writer Craig Pearce certainly seems like he has a lot of passion behind the subject matter, yet the dialogue and storytelling in the first episode feel a tad tired and formulaic. Fortunately, as the series progresses, Pearce seemed to find a rhythm that worked for telling the tale of the Sex Pistols. Pearce is used to writing for maximalist and style-driven directors such as Baz Luhrmann, so working with Boyle was the perfect match. A filmmaker like Boyle can often take stories that feel familiar and give them a boost of his own vision that helps the material find its voice and that was especially the case with Pistol.
While some former band members may be unhappy with Pistol, it is likely for the better. The style and flair is still there, but there is a hidden honesty to the series that makes it worthy of viewing and one that even non-fans of the Sex Pistols could enjoy.
Rating: B+
All six episodes of Pistol are now available to stream on Hulu.