This is a surprisingly intriguing and troubling piece of pulp television. It deals in interviews old documentary footage and re-enactments with the final 24 hours in the life of Sex Pistol Sid Vicious. It carefully if briefly tells the story of his life his involvement with the Pistols and Nancy Spungeon her death and then Sids own demise. The film then makes the shocking claim that Sids Mum Anne Ritchie killed her son with a deliberate fatal overdose to prevent him having to spend the rest of his life in prison over Nancys death (he was out on bail). This claim is backed up by interviews with the first cop on the scene at Sids death (who claims that it was incontrovertible that Anne did it but there were no witnesses so it could never have stood up in court) and a man who was present when Anne made a death-bed confession of her deed.Theres something deeply sad and tragic about this story of the junkie Mum who both gave and took life from her child - the sadness comes over despite the lurid tabloid feel of much of the film.Thats the surprise revelation. The other surprise is that the re-enactments are completely compelling and offer a far more realistic and harrowing look at Sid near the end than Alex Coxs Sid and Nancy managed. The actor who plays Sid is miles better than Gary Oldman - it would be interesting to know who he is. The rest of the cast feel like authentic rock hangers-on and junkies oddly the actress playing Anne Ritchie looks a little like Blanche Deirdres Mum out of Coronation Street.

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Documentary