'Back to Black' Review: Soulful Amy Winehouse Biopic Elevated By Marisa Abela's Performance -

Making a biopic can be a thankless task, especially when it involves someone still vivid in living memory. Such is the case with Amy Winehouse, whose rise to fame and subsequent struggles with alcohol and drug dependence were witnessed by many of us. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson has done a respectable job with Back to Black, and while the film has its merits, it also bears noticeable flaws. The film’s success hinges largely on the performance of relative newcomer Marisa Abela. To take on the role as Amy Winehouse so early in her career is incredibly risky.

Without a doubt, Abela shines as Amy in what must have been incredibly daunting for the young actress. Amy’s uniqueness is unmistakable; her speaking and singing voices are instantly recognizable. Her working-class London accent is distinctively sharp, and she speaks with unfiltered honesty, as she barks “I ain’t no Spice Girl” and that she certainly proves, all of which Abela captures flawlessly. The makeup team has done a particularly good job, Abela bears a striking resemblance to Amy. In various shots, especially in close-ups, Abela melted away, and we were watching Amy.

Back to Black is not a traditional biopic, and this is where there are holes, it neither fully delves into Amy’s musical rise nor provides answers to her personal demons and addictions. In one particular phase, Amy goes to New York to work with producer Mark Ronson leaving behind her boyfriend, Blake Fielder-Civil, with whom she frequently clashes over her ‘disdain’ for drugs. Yet after a series of scenes depicting her time in New York, the film fails to provide any explanation when she returns wielding a crack pipe.

What we do get is a touching tribute to a special talent, it has soul on a human level, Amy was troubled but she loved deeply. Taylor-Johnson has previously stated that the film is told from Amy’s perspective, saying, “She sees only good because love is blind.” This results in Amy being very likable throughout the film. We witness a woman who loves her husband more than anything, craved to be a mother, had some special relationships, she adored her grandmother played by Lesley Manville. Her father, Mitch (Eddie Marsan), is portrayed as doting, loving, and perhaps too soft on her. In contrast to his portrayal as the villain in the 2015 documentary Amy, in Back to Black, he is not.

So who is the villain? Throughout Amy’s media portrayal, her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has often been cast as the villain, a libertine blamed for her struggles. And in this film, it’s easy not to like him. From the first moment we see him swagger around a pub, although he exudes confidence, there’s a vibe that is just wrong, bordering on toxic. You just know he’s trouble, and that’s a testament to Jack O’Connell’s acting.

Experience this film for Amy’s beautiful music and Marisa Abela’s outstanding performance

He broke her heart, twice in fact, but is he the villain? I don’t think so. That title belongs to the paparazzi. In the early to mid-2000s in Britain, the paparazzi were a whole different beast. Amy was targeted due to her struggles, with photographers relentlessly trying to provoke reactions from her. She was possibly hounded more than any modern celebrity. And at the end of the film, a heart-stopping comment from a photographer leaves her gut-punched, its heartbreaking.

In exploring Amy’s story, what new insights did Back to Black offer? Surprisingly little. The film falls short in shedding light on her musical prowess, offering little beyond what we already know. For an album as iconic as ‘Back to Black,’ its creation is relatively glossed over, frustratingly played out with a mishmash of scenes in New York and… well, that’s about it.

Experience this film for Amy’s beautiful music and Marisa Abela’s outstanding performance; she impeccably embodies Amy, especially in her portrayal of Amy’s performance at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival. As she descends from the stage, teetering on high heels, she looks woozy, but unfazed creating a moment that feels dizzyingly alive and authentic.