24 Hour Party People: Your views

Will 24 Hour Party People be a mainstream success?

Steve Coogan's second foray into film sees him play Manchester music mogul Tony Wilson, who discovered The Happy Mondays, Joy Division and the legendary Hacienda club.

The film also stars John Simm and Ralf Little as Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook.

"This is Coogan's second film - and 24 Hour Party People is certainly a lot more credible than his first effort, The Parole Officer, which was widely panned," wrote BBC News Online's Ian Youngs.

"But this will not be a mainstream success - mainly because, alas, there are not enough Joy Division and New Order fans out there," he added.

But what do you think?

Is Coogan convincing? Can younger cinema-goers who don't recall the Madchester scene still enjoy it?

I was living in Liverpool at the time when the Hacienda started. Tony Wilson is a well known celeb in the North West. The movie had a very nostalgic feel for anyone who grew up in the North in that era. If you like the movie try to get a hold of Bez's book Freaky Dancin.
Ian, UK

Having seen this today, my main concerns are the alienation not of younger viewers, but casual ones too, as many of the main movers and shakers of the era are not named in the dialogue and their very presence in the film does everything to confuse those not familiar with the era already.

People like Rob Gretton, Martin Hannett are, to many people, unheard of. Likewise, I cannot recall Bernard Sumner (Joy Division - guitars, New Order - vocals), nor Stephen Morris (JD/NO drummer) being mentioned by name throughout. Also, once Ian Curtis dies, we hear and see very little of New Order as the film then concentrates on the Happy Mondays.

In short, I found it enjoyable, but it aims too much at a niche market. Oh, and if you are a Coogan fan, you'll be pleased to know he occupies at least 95% of the screen time.
Brad, UK

Would have rather seen a movie about the Happy Mondays' exploits in Barbados. Thought the movie concentrated too much on Ian Curtis. But some moments of absolute comic brilliance.
James Mulholland, Scotland

Amazing - Coogan pulls it off very well.
Luke Kearns, UK