Synopsis
The true story of the rise and fall of Creation Records and its infamous founder Alan McGee; the man responsible for supplying the “Brit Pop” soundtrack to the ‘90s, a decade of cultural renaissance known as Cool Britannia. From humble beginnings to Downing Street soirées, from dodging bailiffs to releasing multi-platinum albums, Creation had it all. Breakdowns, bankruptcy, fights and friendships… and not forgetting the music. Featuring some of the greatest records you have ever heard, we follow Alan through a drug-fuelled haze of music and mayhem, as his rock’n’roll dream brings the world Oasis, Primal Scream, and other generation-defining bands.
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Cast
- Ewen BremnerAlan McGee
- Suki WaterhouseGemma
- Richard JobsonJohn McGee
- Seána KerslakeYvonne
- Leo FlanaganYoung Alan
- Charlie MurphyKate Holmes
- Jason FlemyngKing Tuts Promoter
- Jason IsaacsRalph
- Thomas TurgooseDick Green
- Michael SochaJoe Foster
Recommendations
- 80
The Telegraph
Bremner, perfectly cast and moving as well as funny, makes McGee an unrepentant showman who’s also an addict high on his own success. It’s refreshing, after the arduous self-pity of Rocketman, to watch a British music biopic which doesn’t wallow in finger-wagging regrets all day. - 75
Original-Cin
Director Nick Moran gets the temperature of the era mostly right, and effectively weaves this extraordinary source material into a watchable if formulaic two hours. - 70
Screen Daily
If it occasionally strains too hard to underline its “rebellious” credentials, with an expletive-laden script, quick cuts, archive pop clips and trippy visuals, the brassy, keep-up-if-you-can approach keeps the authentic cadence of Glasgow and, more generally, helps Moran mitigate the slightly stagey production values and sets. - 60
TheWrap
Despite trying to be forcefully meta (McGee explicitly says he hates biopics), the platitude-plagued script and mostly mundane filmmaking underscore how ultimately unadventurous Creation Stories is. - 60
The Guardian
A lairy, likable film. - 58
The Playlist
Though entertaining, the funky flourishes offered in plotting, visuals, and voiceover ultimately become a superficial rebellion, draped over a disappointingly stale form. Basically, it’s like sticking safety pins on a t-shirt pre-torn at The Gap. - 50
Screen Rant
All in all, Creation Stories is by no means a loss, it's just missing that special ingredient that would transform it into a film worth being excited about. Instead, it could have simply been a spirited documentary narrated by Bremner. - 50
The New York Times
“Stories” does have a handful of funny and affecting scenes. But it’s most interesting when McGee, after sobering up, makes an ill-advised alliance with Tony Blair.
