Back to Black

Like a lot of recent biopics Back to Black does a perfectly fine job but fails to really provide great depth or insight into its subject.

Considering her short career and life, this biopic took the not unreasonable approach of trying to cover all of Amy's career, but I think is where is perhaps becomes a bit unstuck. It covers all of these events well but at times it is simply replaying the events rather than exploring the people behind them.

That is where this film failed to really capture me. I felt like it explored Amy's career and her impact on the music scene on a bit of a surface level. It explored her relationship with Blake on too much of a surface level. Likewise some of her family relationships and addiction issues were a bit too surface level. I think this film needed to really find a focus and provide more of an insight into Amy. I left the film not really knowing more or understanding Amy on a deeper level than I already did.

That being said, there is still plenty to enjoy about this film. The performances are all really good, particularly Marisa Abela as Amy. Her singing is also incredible. It isn't of course as good as Amy's but is never a distraction. Then there is Jack O'Connell as Blake who again is really strong. The chemistry between them is spot on.

So overall it is a pretty strong biopic, but it perhaps keeps a little too much distance from Amy without diving in as deep as it could have done. The strong performance from Abela, the great music, and the decent command of the events of Amy's life make it a well worth watch though.

Amy Whinehouse was a rather personal celebrity for me since my teen years. I was never much of music fan, or celebrity follower but as everyone there were a couple famous people who had a huge impact on me. I cried when I heard about her death as if she was someone I was close to. Her You know I am no Good to this day makes my blood crawl. I was at her concert in Serbia (I am from Bulgaria so we often went there for such events). It was one of the worst experiences in my life. The crowd was angry and booing at her as if they were robbed or sth, as if some right of theirs have been taken. I don't know when the public decided that singers, actors, athletes owe them sth. I was also angry but at the organizers. I could never forgive them for letting her on stage when she should have been receiving help, I could never forgive them for abusing a human being in such way. I had nightmares for weeks of the image of her in this utterly destructed and vulnerable state. When I read the news about her death I even felt the irrational guilt that I was at fault for her tragedy, I and other fans who were only taking from her.

And I think this is the hugest flaw os the movie, it pulls the break on really going into the depth of a human tragedy. It fails to show why this young woman became so important and loved by so many who listened to her music, what made her stand out.

Instead it shifts focus from music to personal, back and forth, sometimes making the narrative a bit disjointed. Her music was really something. For years she would have just the same repertoire and still it felt more than enough. There was never the need for her to release album after album to stay relevant or influencial in the music industry. Still if the movie used a bit less of the music parts, and developed the others better, the movie would have had a better storytelling.

The actress is doing a great job portraying the rawness and authencity of Whinehouse even if her looks are more polished, her acting isn't. If she had a more developed screenplay it would have been a performance of the ranks of many memorable biopics.

Overall it is a good but maybe forgettable film about someone who in the eyes of many is forever unforgettable.

Marisa Abela's portrayal of Amy Winehouse is a standout in an otherwise messy film. Her performance is a solid 10/10 and deserves a standing ovation.

But the film itself falls short, tangled in a disjointed script that leaves the audience emotionally adrift. There's a big disconnect between the characters and the viewers, making it hard to really connect with the story. In contrast, Asif Kapadia's documentary "Amy" broke our hearts by offering an intimate look into the life of a woman many of us never met but felt we knew by the end.

For those who don't know Winehouse's tumultuous journey, this film doesn't offer much clarity. It meanders through her life, failing to paint a clear picture of the real Amy. Despite the stellar cast, their great performances can't save the film's fragmented storytelling.

The movie glosses over crucial aspects of Amy's life, simplifying her complex struggles into a narrative that lacks the emotional depth and authenticity that her story deserves.

"Back to Black" delivers a heartfelt tribute to Amy Winehouse, brilliantly capturing the essence of an icon whose talent and personal struggles left an indelible mark on the music world. This film doesn't merely navigate through the vibrant life Amy led amidst Camden's gritty charm; it delves deep, portraying not just her artistic brilliance but also her profound vulnerabilities. It masterfully showcases the overwhelming pressures of fame and scrutinizes the relentless nature of the celebrity machine, presenting a narrative that's as compelling as it is heart-wrenching. This isn't just a recount of a music legend's life; it's an invitation to see beyond the performer to the person, offering a richly nuanced appreciation of her life, her sharp wit, and her brutal honesty.

Marisa Abela's portrayal of Amy is captivating, embodying the singer's raw and fragile essence in a performance that's incredibly authentic. She brings to life Amy's desperate longing for love and acceptance, along with her profound sense of loneliness, making her portrayal deeply resonate. Abela's Amy is not just a public figure but a person seeking connection in a world that often feels cold and unforgiving. While the film does dwell on the more tragic aspects of Amy's story, including her struggles with a toxic relationship, it's this exploration of her search for love and the stark loneliness she faced that adds a profound layer of depth to the narrative. The movie, despite its flaws and sometimes narrow focus, manages to strike a chord, particularly for those moved by Amy's music or touched by her life story. "Back to Black" might not capture every nuance of Amy's life with perfect clarity, but it's a deeply moving portrayal that echoes the bittersweet reality of her extraordinary yet tragically short journey.

The performance by Marisa Abela is brilliant, she is Amy Winehouse. However, if you know anything about Amy Winehouse you know that she had an incredibly unique voice, suffered with addictions & was hounded by the press. None of this is shown to its true potential in the film, which to be honest is disappointing. I expected to hear more of her singing and performing. The picture paints her Dad Mitch & husband as 'not bad blokes'. Neither of them were good blokes. Her Dad, should have & could have been far more supportive & intervened at her most desperate. Blake was an out & out addict, the film does not portray the impact that either of them had on Amy. Rocket Man, Bohemian Rhapsody & Elvis nailed their stories, sadly Back to Black doesn't.