Film Review: Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche

It ‘s tough at the top, and it’s far from easy being the offspring of a punk legend, either. That’s the overarching theme of Celeste Bell and Paul Sing’s critically acclaimed documentary about X Ray Spex singer Poly Styrene.

Narrated by Bell herself, who shares a similarly sleepy, childlike drawl with her late mother, this film is quietly heartbreaking, focusing on what happens when fame leads to total burnout. Poly Styrene simply tired of being the kind of artificial commodity she often sang about, and wanted to become herself- Marianne Elliott-Said- again, not “the actor” onstage she felt she’d become.

Eventually, the frenetic gigs were replaced by retreats to Hare Krishna temples and, sadly, hospitalization for bi-polar disorder, originally misdiagnosed as schizophrenia..And although Elliott -Said clearly loved her young daughter, she was often unable to cope with motherhood, and Celeste instead ended up living with her grandmother.

Just like the music, nothing is soft soaped here, even if the documentary does suffer from a conventional, linear approach. Bell’s voiceover is at once sorrowful and reflective, ruminating on how she only now appreciates what a trailblazer her amazing mum was, in terms of the issues she tackled in her vibrant songs (racism, human bondage, OCD, consumerism, identity issues, boredom) her “up yours” approach to fashion, and her presence as a mixed-race woman in a predominantly white, male music scene.

But there had been many times of bitterness and conflict. Bell speaks of terrible rows between the two women, awful accusations and shame before she fully understood the nuances and complexity of the illness. Elliott -Said passed away from breast cancer in 2011, but her appeal and influence was extremely forward-looking. At least mother and daughter had reconciled latterly, and found a kind of peace they both lacked for so long.

In addition to the documentary, Bell recently released Dayglo! a book on Poly Styrene, full of gig flyers, photos and recollections on her mum’s life and legacy. It’s as vibrant and colourful as the songs, but also candid and loving.