Back to Black

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source: Back to Black

To be honest, I don't understand any of the positive reviews. The movie was both bad and misleading. The first one hour of the movie is kinda empty - we do get Amy's passion for music, and an indication of her too excessive drinking, but everything in a really shallow way. We don't get any crucial information on her background, on her relationship with her family and anything that would help us undestand why she had addiction problems and mental health issues, later in her life (except from the meeting and falling in love with Blake). Her relationship with Blake is portrayed like in a romantic movie almost (given the circumstances and their toxic relationship I don't think that's they best way to approach it). Also some of their lines together are so cheesy and not really realistic (like for example the one with feminists at the bar. I don't think nobody was making jokes like that about feminists in early 2000's). The effects of their toxic relationship on Amy, her addiction and drug use , the strugle with fame and paparazzi, bulimia, self harm, violent behaviour and mental health struggles, they all appear on the screen, but we never get to experience them in a way that's fully convicing. I understand that they didn't want to portray her only as an addict and troubled person, but on the other hand, the diminishing of that part feels really inauthentic to me. Her last performances are really indicative of her imminent downfall, as she was publicly struggling with her demons. The public was often booing and showing its disappointment with her state and singing. In the movie any of the perfomances don't depict her suffering. Even her looks aren't convicing - she was much thinner and not healthy- looking in real life, and her skin didn't look that great. (That's a detail of course, but it adds up to the not convicing part of the movie). With that being said we get into the misleading part of the movie. Towards the end of the movie we get the idea, that everything is allright now, Amy is clean now and there will be a happily ever after. We know though that she was found dead (after alcohol poisoning. We also know that she was on and off drinking, so the rehab at the end of the movie wasn't as successful) but the vibe of the movie is much different. If you didn't know, you would be not expecting her death at the end. Her death is not shown, we just see it written on screen (really disappointing). Some important topics are left out of the movie, for example her excessive touring (and its impact on her mental health), and most importantly, the role of her father. In the film he looks like a great caring man. First of all, I don't think that her problems started solely because of her toxic relationship and her grandma passing away. There were definitely things in her childhood and teenage years that formed her in a way that was drawn to substance abuse and toxic relationships (but the picture we get is that her family relationships were great). Also, I don't think that any caring person would let her perform in front of audiences while being so fragile and intoxicated (I have read that practically she was made to perform, so that makes things worse). To conclude, the whole movie looks like an attempt to clear her dad's name and her management (and whoever was responsible for letting her perform). It's a waste of time, as it was a shallow depiction of Amy Winehouse and her rise to fame and eventual death. Also, the misleading of the movie is really frustrating, and I hope it wasn't done on purpose.

Tl; DR - The lead's portrayal of Winehouse is spot-on, with her own vocals adding an authentic touch. It is a bit sentimental, but it's a journey that will reignite your love for her music (it's been playing non-stop in our house all morning). Not a review writer. Big movie fan, but what do I know about good or bad - other than what I like? The critics may have been harsh, but this movie isn't a documentary-style biopic. It's a beautifully stylized, unique interpretation of her life, offering a sympathetic view (as most Hollywood biopics do). It's a blend of the bitter and the sweet, which is what makes it so captivating. Abela's performance in the title role was pleasantly - surprisingly - good, like award contender good. Just like Kilmer did for The Doors movie, they sang a perfect version of their characters. The cinematography and wardrobe create an immersive experience, pulling you into a place and time in her world. You don't want to read a long review, so I'll cut this short: If you want to see the blood and guts of a deeply troubled person, this is not for you. If you want to rediscover her music and see a layer below what you might have known, see the movie and enjoy the sweet ... and the sour.