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A new biopic delves into the meteoric rise and tragic fall of British soul sensation Amy Winehouse, but critics question if it truly captures her essence and genius.
Twelve years after her untimely death at 27, Amy Winehouse’s short but impactful life is once again in the spotlight with the release of Back to Black, a new biopic by British director Sam Taylor-Johnson. The film, which hits UK theaters on Friday before its French release on April 24 and its North American debut on May 17, promises to shed light on the singer’s meteoric rise to fame and her well-publicized battles with addiction.
However, even before its official release, Back to Black has been embroiled in controversy. Critics accuse the film of exploiting Winehouse’s troubled history and perpetuating the media frenzy that hounded her in life. “Given the vulturous way in which her life was picked over, it’s almost impossible to find a sincere reason to make a film about Winehouse, or at least one that isn’t motivated by profit,” music journalist Roisin O’Connor scathingly writes in The Independent.
Winehouse, who was found dead of alcohol poisoning in 2011, left an indelible mark on the music world with her raspy soul voice, raw and powerful lyrics and unique style inspired by 1950s pin-ups. Her second album, Back to Black, catapulted her to global stardom in 2006, fueled by the hit single Rehab in which she laid bare her struggle with addiction.
This is not the first time Winehouse’s life has been depicted on screen. Asif Kapadia’s 2015 Oscar-winning documentary Amy drew criticism from her family for focusing too heavily on the negative aspects of her life. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, decried his portrayal as a “self-seeking” and “attention-grabbing” man.
While Mitch and his ex-wife Janis attended the London premiere of Back to Black on Monday, director Sam Taylor-Johnson insists the family had no creative input. “It was important to meet them out of respect,” she told Empire, “but they couldn’t change things or dictate what I had to shoot.”
Taylor-Johnson emphasizes that she sought to uncover the “truth” about Winehouse’s life, including her complex relationship with her father. “Amy loved her dad, whatever he did right or wrong.” Actor Eddie Marsan, who plays Mitch Winehouse, says he tried to avoid falling into the “comfortable” stance of “blaming someone” for the singer’s death, be it her father or her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil.
Back to Black also depicts Winehouse’s tumultuous romance with Fielder-Civil, who has been accused of introducing her to heroin. In 2018, he admitted he would always carry the “burden of guilt” for his role in her addiction.
Marisa Abela, who portrays Winehouse, stresses that the film’s goal is not to “judge” the characters and their choices. “If viewers feel Amy shouldn’t have loved or trusted certain people, that’s their right (…) but the only villains in our story are addiction and the paparazzi. We’re not telling people what to think.”
Despite mixed reviews, Back to Black is poised to be a success given Winehouse’s enduring aura and the perennial appeal of music biopics, which often prove profitable regardless of quality. The Times’ Ed Potton finds the film “a bit lightweight,” and while he praises Abela’s efforts to emulate Winehouse’s singing, he feels she falls short of capturing her inimitable voice.
For the Daily Mail’s Peter Hoskin, the movie fails to convey the singer’s “rebellious genius.” “You’re better off listening to Back to Black, the album or the song, and remembering what made Amy a star,” he writes.
As Back to Black reignites discussions about Winehouse’s legacy, it also raises broader questions about the ethics of posthumous celebrity biopics. Can a two-hour dramatization truly do justice to the complexities of a life marked by prodigious talent and personal demons? Or does it risk perpetuating the very media circus that many argue contributed to her downfall?
Perhaps the answer lies in Winehouse’s own words from her iconic hit Rehab. “They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said no, no, no.” In the end, it is her music, not the silver screen adaptations of her life, that remains the most authentic testament to her genius and enduring impact.
With AFP
