X
In Theaters Now
- 2024
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 2 m
- 2024
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 2 m
Summary The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black. Told from Amy’s perspective and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film follows the remarkable woman behind the phenomenon and the tumultuous relationship at the center of one of the most legendary albums of a...
Directed By: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Written By: Matt Greenhalgh
In Theaters Now
- 2024
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 2 m
- 2024
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 2 m
Back to Black
43
5.5
Where to Watch
Summary The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black. Told from Amy’s perspective and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film follows the remarkable woman behind the phenomenon and the tumultuous relationship at the center of one of the most legendary albums of a...
Directed By: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Written By: Matt Greenhalgh
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 42 Critic Reviews
43
21% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
50% Mixed
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
29% Negative
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 42 Critic Reviews
43
21% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
50% Mixed
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
29% Negative
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
The film is detailed, vivid, enthralling—and necessarily full of pain. The performances are top-notch, led by Ms. Abela, who does her own singing in an amazing re-creation of Winehouse’s muscular soul vocals.
Thin as biopics go, the power of Abela’s portrayal elevates the film, providing a poignance and strength that’s the clearest motivation to go, go, go.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 15 User Ratings
5.5
47% Positive
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
20% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
33% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 15 User Ratings
5.5
47% Positive
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
20% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
33% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
Though not without its flaws, Back to Black is an incredible film. Poignant, emotionally charged performances from all cast members - especially the highly talented Marisa Abela and the brilliant Jack O’Connell. In no doubt a romanticised version of Amy Winehouse’s life, Back to Black isn’t a gritty film like Asif Kapadia’s 2015 documentary, AMY, but a respectful, reserved tribute to an international icon and the treacherous love story behind this uninhibited star’s GRAMMY-winning songs. The script at times is weak, as is part of the storyline (it only touches on Amy’s parents’ divorce and doesn’t cover at all the recording of Amy’s final song, Body & Soul, with her idol Tony Bennett). Despite the criticism, Sam Taylor-Johnson has directed a true work of art and Marisa Abela proves her star quality through her excellent portrayal of a star we all sorely miss.
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Amy Winehouse was such a unique talent and powerful presence that creating her on screen is this bioipic's biggest challenge. Marisa Abela, who also voices the songs, magically captures the singular persona, charisma and style of this distinctive individual. The film starts with her as a teen and follows thru to her end (one of the less moving moments), but it does so with the focus on her personal life. We see her perform the hits and cope with the strains of fame, but there's less attention paid to the professional side of her career. Jack O'Connell, as her husband, and Eddie Marsan, as her father, are also compelling. The doc version (my review) has the advantage of the real thing, but Abela still holds her own. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson has made the interactions effective, but seldom captures any true emotional force. Even so, Abela's dynamic re-creation is the film's strongest note.
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My reaction is that I could learn a lot more about Winehouse by listening to her music than by watching this by-the-numbers sketch of her adult life.
With the documentary Amy painting a more detailed and intimate portrait of the singer’s life, it’s hard to recommend such a stilted, unimaginative biopic that doesn’t do Winehouse any justice.
Not all of these vignettes are duds – Amy’s meet-cute with Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O’Connell, excellent) over pints and pool in a Camden boozer is genuinely terrific – but they don’t make a script that already feels soft-soaped to get the Winehouse’s estate’s approval, feel any less pedestrian.
The movie may be so scared of being an Auto-Tuned biopic that it settles for simply being out of tune altogether.
Taylor-Johnson’s film, penned by Matt Greenhalgh, is concerned with Amy the addict, making “Back to Black” a dreadful, dastardly attempt at a biopic.
Perhaps a sanitised version of Amy’s life but an enjoyable film which did serve to remind you how great she was. Made me sad being reminded of yet another great talent taken far too early at 27. Marisa was perfect as Amy and oh what a voice.
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Existem três características importantíssimas para o filme biográfico musical funcionar que funcionam muito bem aqui: o recorte da trama; a caracterização do biografado; a organicidade das músicas ao enredo. "Back to black" é filmado com burocracia e sem inspiração, mas consegue se sair muito bem no essencial.
Além da protagonista Marisa Abela estar estupenda no papel, inclusive com evoluções no visual e na postural que soaram bastante natural, seu par romântico o namorado interpretado pelo excelente Jack O'Connel garante a tensão sexual que segura as pontas de um rotiero absolutamente clichê: o amor desguiado, a pressão entre a vida pessoal e artística da cantora, as drogas como ruína.
Alguns fãs reclamaram de como o pai foi retratado de forma bem benevolente, já que supostamente mantinha uma relação de exploração e pressão com a filha. Eu particularmene não conheço nada da vida dela para opinar, e o que vi foi um pai que, de fato, era um suporte equilibrado ali, provavelmente, na vida real, fora bem diferente disso mesmo.
Senti falta do processo de criação das músicas: por mais que o filme deixe explicado que a Amy viveu muito de suas letras, à exceção duma cena inicial, não lembro a moça em nenhum take com um lápis e um caderno na mão, de modo que tão logo os acontecimentos apareciam ( o luto, por exemplo) alguma música surgia como pano de fundo. Isso tira um pouco a naturalidade do vivido, mas ao mesmo tempo é um bom trabalho de como se confundia vida e obra.
Também achei, e não é culpa somente deste, que o filme forçou um ápice musical com "Rehab". Desde "Bohemia", aprece que se tornou algo estritamente necessário uma encenação final. Mas ao menos aqui se sai menos pior do que em filmes como os da "Whitney Houston". Ainda assim, lembro (esse dim está na memória) do seu último show, completamente desorientada e drogada, e o filme não trouxe isso à tona.
Em resumo, é uma biografia higienizada, facilitada pelo recorte certeiro de uma carreira que acabou bem cedo e de uma protagonista forte, com um par romântico que ralemnte funcionou em tela, do momento do encanto à ruína. Faz o básico e consegue, assim, entreteter, msmo com várias críticas à veracidade dos fatos. Ainda bem que cinema não necessarimente precisa ter compromisso com isso, muito embora, para uma biografia, isso de fato pode soar como defeito e concorrer contra a experiência pretendida.
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I genuinely feel sorry for Marisa Abela; she looks like she's cosplaying Amy.
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"The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame..." Really?! I mean, she was there for a minute and then she was a trainwreck for much longer. I don't think she's someone to be romanticized and for those of us who aren't wooed by generic, singer/songwriter music that's more entertainment than art, it falls flat. I couldn't distinguish her from dozens of other singers on the charts. I'm really not sure why this even got made. The world has largely forgotten her.
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