Control s narrative goes like this: Curtis, a working-class lad from Manchester, marries too young. A Sex Pistols concert inspires him and some other lads to form a band, which takes off. But Curtis learns he s epileptic, and the symptoms worsen, despite his doctor s best efforts. His angst deepens and he kind of turns into a jerk after his wife discovers he s having an affair with Belgian journalist Annik Honor (played by Alexandra Maria Lara).

The mounting pressures of stardom finally push him off the cliff.