About a year and a half ago, I came across the trailer for the Amy Winehouse biopic, “Back to Black”, starring Marisa Abela. In addition to my mother and sister’s obsession with the legendary Amy Winehouse, the trailer sparked an interest in me to delve deeper into the mucisian’s story and rise to fame. During this past Christmas break, I finally got to watch it, without realizing that I was instantly turned into a die-hard Amy fan.
The movie was released in May of 2024, and it attempted to shed light on the singer’s struggles with addiction and her turbulent relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, while simultaneously showcasing her music and personal journey. The film aims to provide an intimate look at her life rather than just her downfall. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson asserts Winehouse’s acquired indpendence through her music, but at the same time, pays tribute to her own negative experiences as a celebrity, regarding victimhood and tabloid scrutiny.
The film opens with a sequence of Winehouse running on the street, seemingly trying to escape from someone, which instantly hooked me. The movie consists of flashbacks and time jumps, guiding the audience through the different stages of Winehouse’s life,including her upbringing in London, her singing at local clubs, her commencement of a passionate, fierce yet toixc relationship with Blake, and her involvement with drugs and alcohol. The soundtrack of the movie incorporates some of Winehouse’s most famous renditions, including “Valerie”, “Rehab”, “What is About Men” and “Back to Black,” acting as a multi-layered storytelling device that successfully implements Winehouse’s raw talent, emotional depth and vulnerability.
The film was fast-paced and vibrant, yet at the same time dark and musical. Marisa Abela’s embodiment of Amy Winehouse was ashtonishing. From the mannerisms and body language to her voice, the actress perfectly captured the mystery that is Amy Winehouse, hypnotizing the audience and making them cry, or wanting to sing along. After having read highly critical and judgmental reviews of the film, saying that “[the actress] doesn’t even look like Amy,” or that “Her voice sucks and she sounds horrible,” I had low expectations. Yet, I left the theatre absolutely mesmerized.
Abela did not take the task of portraying Winehouse lighlty. In fact, she commented on several interviews how she became “obsessed” with becoming “one” with the singer. To prepare for the role, she watched videos and listened to radio interviews of Winehouse, and also moved to Camden, the singer’s hometown. In addition, she lost a controversial amount of weight to portray the drug use and disordered eating. Realizing just how much Amy meant to the people, Abela poured blood, sweat and tears into the role.
Other supporting actors, like Eddie Marsan (Mitch Winehouse), Lesley Manville (Cynthia Winehouse) and Jack O’Connell (Blake Fielder-Civil) helped shape Winehouse’s story, adding depth to the relationships that shaped her and the forces that contributed to both her rise and her downfall. The supporting cast goes hand in hand with Amy’s excitement of recording music and performing, but also with the exploitative nature of the industry, where Winehouse’s disturbing behaviour was enabled rather than inhibited.
“Back to Black” uses gritty, intimate cinematography with handheld shots, close-ups, and a muted color palette to pull viewers into Amy Winehouse’s world and create a vintage feel. The film uses immersive, moment-to-moment storytelling to focus on Amy’s aristry over tragedy, having the performance of her songs drive the narrative. The sound distortion reflects her emotional state, which worsens as the storyline unfolds. The same applies to her physical appearance — the more depressed the artist gets, the thicker and longer her eyeliner wing gets, the darker and higher her hair goes, the more tattoos she gets, the thinner she gets, the weaker she gets and so on.
As someone who is obsessed with pop music, the movie was very special to me, as it celebrates Amy Winehouse’s genius, presenting her crafting of timeless songs that blend jazz, soul and pop into something uniquely her own. Furthermore, by weaving her music into the storytelling, it reminds audiences why her impact endures, making it more than just a biopic, but rather a tribute to an artist who redefined modern pop.
Overall, there is no doubt that “Back to Black” made a big splash in the entertainment industry, that had everyone talk about it after its release. In my personal opininon, it is the one project that inspired many other biopics, remaining one of the most memorable films of 2024.
