Back to Black (2024) User Reviews

Amy feels real, but her life does not

[thysaarts · 6/10 · 21 April 2024]

The film starts off strong, giving you a lovely peek into Amy's relationship with her nan, her family and her love for music and performing in pubs, showing a young vulnerable girl who has a great talent and a true sense of girl power. You do get a senae of who Amy really was. She feels real and believable, with beautiful vocals that come close to matching the real Amy.

However, when it comes to the story, it's not doing a good job taking you on a journey with Amy. The film starts to lose track of time and the passing of time fairly quickly. Amy's discography and single releases could have helped to keep track of time, but the makers chose to link the songs to the film narrative rather than featuring them in the order in which they were released. This makes it difficult to follow when her actual break through happens. For example, Valerie appears a lot earlier in the film than expected as we hadn't seen enough of the success of her Back to Black album, which was released in 2006. Most of the Back to black singles were released before Valerie. The Valerie cover was released in October 2007. The film even claims that Blake got back together with Amy after hearing Valerie in a pub and discussing Amy's success with a friend, but she and Blake got married 5 months before Valerie was released. Unnecessary error, as they could have been listening to any song from Back to black.

The order of the songs may not be that important to some, but ultimately what happens in the film is that you don't really get a sense of the impact of Amy's music and legacy. The film always stays close to Amy, which is deliberate of course, and it does help you focus on how she copes with her troubles, the loss of her nan, her addictions, her relationship with Blake, her relationship with the paparazzi, but we don't see enough of Amy in the world. We're sticking too close to Amy. Especially if you consider that Amy toured the back to black album for almost five years, we should have seen a lot more of how she rose to fame and how it changed her over time. The film almost makes it seem like all of Amy's troubles revolve around her relationship with Blake, but there is a lot more to it and we could have seen more impact of her father's influence, the impact of the paparazzi, her constant touring and performing, the self-harm, etc, in doing so not painting a full or realistic picture of Amy's life.

Back to the positive: it's a lovely portrait of a part of Amy, focusing mainly on her relationship with Blake. You feel for the girl and she does feel real and layered. The songs are a real tribute to Amy with beautiful vocals and a great mix of Amy's original recordings and the film's soundtrack. If you love her songs, then you should go see it just to enjoy them again, but you do need to accept the disorganised discography.

Why? Watch Asif Kapadia's Amy.

[peter-horrey · 6/10 · 15 April 2024]

Great cast; Marisa Abela is amazing (hence the 6). Eddie Marsen and Lesley Manville as brilliant as ever, and Jack O'Connell is too likeable (he can't help himself, so much charisma). Sam Taylor-Johnson has created more of a fairy tale than a true account of Amy's tragic life. In Asif Kapadia's "Amy" you literally get to see the real Amy, and also closer to why she self-destructed and joined the infamous "27-Club".

The line in "Amy" that encapsulated her mindset was to her best friend, after she had won the Grammy for album of the year (This is the biggest accolade in the music industry) She whispered to her friend "This is so boring without drugs." Bang! There you go. Why wasn't this in B2B? Why was her life reduced down to wanting to be a Mum, why was it strongly suggested that she drank herself to death after hearing of Blake's girlfriend having a baby? No she had demons, she was a drug addict an alcoholic. She needed to be off her face to deal with life.

B2B skirts around this and misses some crucial relationships and events and puts in pointless scenes (Girl in the off-license; "wish i was your mum" WTF. The duet with Tony Bennett and the 6 months (clean) in St. Lucia, her Dads own obsession with fame and so on!

Amy's life was not a love story. So why boil it down to this? Sorry this is a massive miss! Please watch the amazing docu-film "Amy".

Ps Marisa was amazing and her singing was spine-tingling at times.

Echoes of a Soul

[cutie7 · 7/10 · 11 April 2024]

"Back to Black" delivers a heartfelt tribute to Amy Winehouse, brilliantly capturing the essence of an icon whose talent and personal struggles left an indelible mark on the music world. This film doesn't merely navigate through the vibrant life Amy led amidst Camden's gritty charm; it delves deep, portraying not just her artistic brilliance but also her profound vulnerabilities. It masterfully showcases the overwhelming pressures of fame and scrutinizes the relentless nature of the celebrity machine, presenting a narrative that's as compelling as it is heart-wrenching. This isn't just a recount of a music legend's life; it's an invitation to see beyond the performer to the person, offering a richly nuanced appreciation of her life, her sharp wit, and her brutal honesty.

Marisa Abela's portrayal of Amy is captivating, embodying the singer's raw and fragile essence in a performance that's incredibly authentic. She brings to life Amy's desperate longing for love and acceptance, along with her profound sense of loneliness, making her portrayal deeply resonate. Abela's Amy is not just a public figure but a person seeking connection in a world that often feels cold and unforgiving. While the film does dwell on the more tragic aspects of Amy's story, including her struggles with a toxic relationship, it's this exploration of her search for love and the stark loneliness she faced that adds a profound layer of depth to the narrative. The movie, despite its flaws and sometimes narrow focus, manages to strike a chord, particularly for those moved by Amy's music or touched by her life story. "Back to Black" might not capture every nuance of Amy's life with perfect clarity, but it's a deeply moving portrayal that echoes the bittersweet reality of her extraordinary yet tragically short journey.

Back to Black

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 11 April 2024]

Truth, if it were needed, that Lesley Manville can turn her hand to anything, but otherwise this is a rather unremarkable biopic of a woman whose character, I must confess, I didn't actually like very much. She is the nan of Amy (Marisa Abela) and the two have a special bond. Amy lives with her mum who is divorced from her dad Mitch (Eddie Marsan). He fancies himself as a bit of a crooner and she is steeped in jazz, determined to write her own songs and make a success of herself - on her own terms. Enter Nick (Sam Buchanan) who works for music mogul Simon Fuller and she is, after an initial bit of hostility, signed up and on her way. The remainder of the chronology is all pretty straightforward as Sam Taylor-Johnson decides to focus on an entirely speculative look at how her personal life developed. Amy's increasingly strained relationship with her friends and her father, her grandmother's terminal illness and her "toxic co-dependent" relationship with the charismatic Blake (Jack O'Connell). There's no doubting that many of her songs are great - even if the role of Mark Ronson in any of that is largely ignored, and hats off to Abela for putting her own slant on them. She does her own singing and though she does rather over-egg it, she does imbue a sense of the sheer force of personality this woman had. O'Connell, too, does well enough - especially with his Shangri-La dance in the pub when they meet, but somehow the whole narrative is just too bitty and episodic. The presentation of her character is way too shallow and frankly she is portrayed as a bit of an obnoxious brat. Her increasing exposure to the hounding paparazzi is well illustrated and that growing sense of exasperation obvious, but again we jump around too much as we seem to be rushing to a conclusion we know all about. At two hours it is too long in many ways and too short in others. The dialogue offers us little insight into just who she was and by the end, I felt sad for her but can't say I really cared about any of them. The aggression of the photographers seems to receive a disproportionate share of the blame for her predicament whilst rather discounting her own series of bad choices fuelled by her own immaturity and by the public's obsessions with watching what it builds up come crashing down. They couldn't sell their photos if we didn't want to buy them. A memorable musical legacy left behind by one who, along with so many other ground-breaking but flawed musical geniuses, might just have been better left for our ears.

Good if a rather cowerdly film

[morkoff · 16 April 2024]

Amy Whinehouse was a rather personal celebrity for me since my teen years. I was never much of music fan, or celebrity follower but as everyone there were a couple famous people who had a huge impact on me. I cried when I heard about her death as if she was someone I was close to. Her You know I am no Good to this day makes my blood crawl. I was at her concert in Serbia (I am from Bulgaria so we often went there for such events). It was one of the worst experiences in my life. The crowd was angry and booing at her as if they were robbed or sth, as if some right of theirs have been taken. I don't know when the public decided that singers, actors, athletes owe them sth. I was also angry but at the organizers. I could never forgive them for letting her on stage when she should have been receiving help, I could never forgive them for abusing a human being in such way. I had nightmares for weeks of the image of her in this utterly destructed and vulnerable state. When I read the news about her death I even felt the irrational guilt that I was at fault for her tragedy, I and other fans who were only taking from her.

And I think this is the hugest flaw os the movie, it pulls the break on really going into the depth of a human tragedy. It fails to show why this young woman became so important and loved by so many who listened to her music, what made her stand out.

Instead it shifts focus from music to personal, back and forth, sometimes making the narrative a bit disjointed. Her music was really something. For years she would have just the same repertoire and still it felt more than enough. There was never the need for her to release album after album to stay relevant or influencial in the music industry. Still if the movie used a bit less of the music parts, and developed the others better, the movie would have had a better storytelling.

The actress is doing a great job portraying the rawness and authencity of Whinehouse even if her looks are more polished, her acting isn't. If she had a more developed screenplay it would have been a performance of the ranks of many memorable biopics.

Overall it is a good but maybe forgettable film about someone who in the eyes of many is forever unforgettable.

A good watch

[dejtaxi · 7/10 · 14 April 2024]

The film captures the self destructive and addictive demons that surrounded Amy Winehouse and I think doesn't truly depict the character portrayal of her husband and father as they are shown as better characters than they were.

Strong performances but I thought disappointing ending .

The singing of Marisa Abela is excellent and acting all around very strong . Just not enough depth and oomph in the overall result.

The addictive 'love' story if that's what it was is captured well and illustrates that period in London quite well for anyone who is a younger viewer.

I'm always amazed that showing drug use and alcohol addiction with the strong language is still rated at 15 but maybe I'm just getting old.

Make your own mind up Slight mistake in the film when she leaves prison and an electric LEVC TXE taxi is in the shot which wasn't actually made at that point.

A symphony of talent and turmoil

[steveinadelaide · 10/10 · 13 April 2024]

Back to Black isn't just a biopic; it's a raw exploration of a singular talent battling inner demons. The film chronicles Amy Winehouse's (Marisa Abela) passionate but volatile relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O'Connell), a whirlwind romance that fueled her Grammy-winning album of the same name.

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson doesn't shy away from the darkness. We see Amy's struggles with addiction laid bare, the paparazzi feeding off her descent. There's a harrowing scene in a bathroom, the fluorescent lights casting a cold, clinical glow on a moment of despair. It's a tough watch, but it underscores the human cost of fame.

Abela (who actually did all the singing-no miming) delivers a phenomenal performance. She captures not just Amy's swagger and signature beehive hair, but also her vulnerability. There's a heartbreaking sequence where Amy pours her soul into a recording booth, her voice cracking with raw emotion. You believe she's channelling her pain into music, and Abela deserves a standing ovation for that.

The film falters slightly in its focus. While the love story is central, it occasionally overshadows Amy's musical brilliance. We see glimpses of her creative process, her smoky jazz influences, but it would've been great to delve deeper. This isn't a criticism of the film's length but rather a testament to Amy's multifaceted life.

Then there's the soundtrack. Oh, the soundtrack! It's a masterstroke. Hearing Amy's iconic songs, from the sassy Rehab to the torchy ballad Love Is a Losing Game, in full cinematic glory is a gift. The score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis complements the music perfectly, adding a melancholic edge.

Back to Black isn't a sugar-coated biopic. It's a cautionary tale, a love letter to a lost talent, and a testament to the enduring power of music. It left me wanting more Amy, more music, but also with a profound respect for her artistry. If you're a fan or simply appreciate raw talent battling for expression, this film deserves a spot on your watchlist. Just be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster; it's a wild ride, but undeniably powerful.

It's not all that unfortunately

[r96sk · 6/10 · 16 April 2024]

'Back to Black' is not the best.

The opening chunk of the movie, say the first 30-45 minutes, is not good, a very rocky beginning. The introduction to the characters felt unnatural, the spontaneous moments of the lead character (who they make a tiny bit unlikeable at around that point) singing... borderline cringe. I will say, though, from after that the film does improve, funnily enough once the titular track plays I enjoyed this more.

Now for the cast. Marisa Abela is, acting-wise, decent enough, I'm not sold on her likeness to Amy Winehouse but I only really know of the musician minimally in her later years so I could very likely be wrong to question it to be fair. Her accent seemed forced as well, though that could be a similar case as to what I just mentioned with the resemblance.

I did feel like I was watching Abela acting like Winehouse, rather than Winehouse portrayed by Abela. What I mean by that is in the best biopics I feel like I'm watching the person depicted, almost documentary-esque, but here it felt more obvious that I was watching someone act as someone, if that makes sense. Same can be said for Jack O'Connell, I know zero about Blake Fielder-Civil but still felt like O'Connell was overtly imitating someone.

There are positives, though. Lesley Manville puts in a good performance, her scenes with Abela are the film at its strongest. Eddie Marsan is solid too. It also does what's needed to make you care for the main character, even if that isn't all that difficult. Winehouse's big songs, at least all the ones I know of, are featured well; I most liked 'Valerie' years back, but that eponymous track really is outstanding.

No doubt super sad how Winehouse's life played out, I knew she died fairly young but when the epilogue details that she passed at just 27 it really does hit hard... such a waste. As for this movie in itself, mind, it's not all that unfortunately.

First Rate Biopic

[dmoonage · 8/10 · 13 April 2024]

I went into this movie not expecting much, thanks to the reviews, but figured I'd like to see a recreation of London in the 2000s.

Forget the reviews from the newspapers and meida. The movie is first rate, and the central performance, by Marisa Abela, will surely get an Oscar nomination. She is sensational.

The filmography is good, and the script pretty good, focusing on Amy Winehouse's addiction and toxic dependency on Blake Fielder-Civil, while not leaving out the arc of her career; you get to hear all the hits from her.

The supporting cast is excellent, too, with nary a performance that misses a step.

I do wish, though, that the director had edited it to be a bit tighter-it spends a lot of time on her romance with Black- and used the extra time to depict her awakening as a songwriter. Marisa Abela would have done that part justice, too.

Go see it. This is definitely one to be watched in a theater, not at home.

Chanel N°Pub

[TomTalksFilms · 6/10 · 18 April 2024]

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson finds herself going from Grey to Black for this Amy Winehouse Biopic.

Another month and we have another newly released biopic this time centering around the life and career of soul singer Amy Winehouse. Firstly I should say that I generally like biopics particularly ones about musicians as after all who doesn't enjoy music?

I have to say though this is one musician whose career I wouldn't want to be trying to adapt into a big screen story.

Why? I hear you ask.

Two reasons.

One: Because of just how hounded Amy was by the press which resulted in a large number of overly exaggerated if not outright false stories being written about her. I wouldn't want to be the one to have to say this is what I think really happened as everyone seems to have their own opinion on her life.

Two: She's not around to defend herself. Whilst ordinarily I wouldn't say a biopic shouldn't be made about an artist who has passed away, with the amount of lies that were spread about Amy and her life who knows if what you are putting on screen actually happened or not.

I would imagine largely as a result of the points I made in the previous paragraph Taylor-Johnson plays this biopic incredibly safe. All the information the audience is given throughout the film is largely surface level and the film fails to take any sort of deep dive into what really lead Amy to an early death at the age of just 27.

It's definitely not all a lost though, the acting for one I felt was particularly strong. Anyone who's been reading my reviews for a little while knows about my love for the actors from the tv show skins. Jack O'Connell who played cook in skins stars as Amy's boyfriend, husband and eventually Ex-Husband Blake and he absolutely stole the show for me. I have been longing to see him play a cheeky bad boy again as he's so good at it and yet again he shines here. Amy Winehouse herself is played by Marisa Abela, I think the thing to look for in a musical biopic is whether the actor still feels like the real person when they're not on stage. Does Marisa still feel like Amy when she's just having a chat with her Nan for instance?

I'm happy to say I felt she definitely did. I particularly felt she got the accent and the speaking voice spot on. As for Amy's singing voice it's such a unique sound to try to replicate but after doing some research it seems Marisa did all her own singing in the film and if that's true then wow.

If you're looking for a deep dive into the life of Amy Winehouse then I recommend the 2015 documentary.

What we are given in Back to Black is a well shot and well acted biopic but one that is far from the likes of Rocketman and one that I'm likely to forget about completely after just a couple of weeks.

I was disappointed

[marcovinicio-74921 · 5/10 · 14 April 2024]

Amy Winehouse had a tumultuous life, full of success and drama, but this film does no make justice to her legacy.

The story is narrated on a chaotic way, like if parts of the movie was left on the cutting room. One minute she was living with her mum in a flat and the next she was living in a house in Camden with a flatmate that disappeared inexplicably.

One minute she was a young 18 year old and the next she was a successful singer that quit her label. Is like her career and achievements were not interested for the screenplay, if you didn't know Winehouse story and this is the first time you see it, you would think that the girl was just a bit stupid. The only interesting thing that happened to her was Blake, and for those that followed her career we know that Blake was not good for her, and she had more interesting things in her life than being obsessed with that man.

She sang with Tony Bennet! And was like the peak of her career! No mention of that; she lived in the Caribbean trying to get better, and also no mention of it.

Is sad that Hollywood just simplifies someone's life for a movie and then that's it... very very sad to see what her legacy has been turned to.

Wonderful

[wakeling-06412 · 10/10 · 19 April 2024]

I absolutely loved this film, and will definitely purchase it when it comes out on bluray.

The acting and singing by Marisa Abela playing Amy Winehouse was amazing, as was the rest of the cast.

It's quite a sad film in parts, and it's heart breaking to see what Amy went through... such a waste of life, of a beautiful young woman, who had such a unique voice.

The words in her songs are moving.

The movie is 2 hours long.. Every song I love was sung in the film.

There is some flashing lights in some parts of this film from the photographers, drug use, and swearing, one short flash of breast, and male buttocks.

Amy we love and miss you.

Camden's Queen

[mezzaitaliana-89131 · 6/10 · 26 April 2024]

Marisa Abele saves this film, her performance was excellent. She was able to show the fragility of Amy Whinehouse but also her bolshie attitude to those around her.

Her relationships with men were flippant until she met and fell for Blake Fielder-Civil. Some would say he being her downfall.

The biggest influence in her life was her grandmother, a Jazz lover and stylish lady. Her death was a tragedy which I don't think she fully recovered from.

I left the film wondering why she was so self destructive, and wished somebody had intervened to help before it was too late.

At least her music lives on.

You Know I'm No Good

[southdavid · 5/10 · 15 April 2024]

Intriguingly "Back to Black" seems to be a film that is finding little consensus amongst the professional reviewers. I found the central performance excellent, but wonder if it's decision to, perhaps realistically, not portray anyone as the villain of the story, hurts its entertainment value.

A prodigiously talented singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse (Marisa Abela) has a growing reputation and a hit album. Before starting work on the next album, she meets Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O'Connell) in a Camden bar and the pair begin a relationship. Already struggling with Bulimia and alcoholism, Blake's own hedonistic lifestyle sends the pair into a spiral of violence and addiction. When they break up, Amy's pain forms the basis for the songs on "Back to Black" her second album, which has worldwide success.

I think Marisa Abela is great as Amy. I know her from the BBC series "Industry" and her performance here, which includes her singing impression is maybe reason enough to see the film. In fact, it might be the only reason to see the film. Maybe that's a touch unfair, the performances from O'Connell, Eddie Marsan as her father Mitch and Lesley Manville as her grandmother Cynthia are all decent, even if none of them stretch much beyond what we've seen them do before. (In fact, I'd really like to see O'Connell play something other than a swaggering, self-destructive character).

The consensus narrative that has been told about Winehouse is that Fielder-Civil was the junkie that dragged poor Amy down and that Mitch sacrificed his daughter's health in order to not risk her success. Both ideas are present in the film, though it paints neither as the villain. Perhaps that's realistic, certainly it doesn't rob Amy of agency in her own story, but I did, at times, feel a little bored by what the film chose to present. It's quite long, at two hours, and whilst her talent was prodigious, maybe her life story wasn't full of as many different types of experiences as would justify this films existence.

I don't think the film adds up to enough for me to recommend it, which is a shame for Abela, who is really giving her all.

Disappointed

[glyn-87218 · 6/10 · 14 April 2024]

The performance by Marisa Abela is brilliant, she is Amy Winehouse. However, if you know anything about Amy Winehouse you know that she had an incredibly unique voice, suffered with addictions & was hounded by the press. None of this is shown to its true potential in the film, which to be honest is disappointing. I expected to hear more of her singing and performing. The picture paints her Dad Mitch & husband as 'not bad blokes'. Neither of them were good blokes. Her Dad, should have & could have been far more supportive & intervened at her most desperate. Blake was an out & out addict, the film does not portray the impact that either of them had on Amy. Rocket Man, Bohemian Rhapsody & Elvis nailed their stories, sadly Back to Black doesn't.

A wonderful talent - lost so young.

[paulron-58449 · 7/10 · 22 April 2024]

Sam Taylor-Johnson has produced a fine movie of the self-destructive, short life of singer Amy Winehouse; not easy subject material and still raw for many people of a wonderful talent, lost so young. We seem to be in an age of Biopics which isn't necessarily a good thing. The quality, direction and screenwriting is patchy, to say the least. Some are frankly awful.

Back To Black takes a median position in amongst the plethora of recent biopics which is to its credit considering this is no way a high financed, major international production. In fact, its very Englishness, indeed its London working-class parochialism gives it its characteristic charm and personality.

We open with Amy (Marissa Abela) as a teenage singer - songwriter working the local pubs and trying to break into the music business, searching for a record deal and making it clear she's different, 'I ain't no Spice Girl' she tells a potential Agent. Her upbringing from a working-class Jewish family singing Jazz songs around the dinner table, her own eclectic musical tastes and style set her up as a unique talent during a period of shallowness in the British musical scene. She was always head and shoulders above the opposition - a superb talent with a monumental future ahead of her.

Despite family advice from her father, Mitch (Eddie Marsan) and Grandmother Cynthia (Lesley Manville) Amy, always a rebel, sets out on her tragic journey to destruction. Alcohol and an unfortunate penchant for choosing the wrong partner play their terrible part in her short life. I'm not sure just how significant was her relationship and marriage to Blake (Jack O'Connell) in her demise - other factors including the Media and the lack of a decent management team probably played out their role, but sadly it's a story we are all too familiar with in the Pop/Rock world - Joplin, Hendrix, Morrison, Moon and even Presley travelled the same road as Amy.

The movie is saved from just another pop-biopic by its portrayal of Amy Winehouse as a teenager with remarkable talent growing up in a working -class community in North London with some credit going to Abela for what was a difficult part to play. It has a feel at times of Biopics of the Beatles' early days in Liverpool. What comes across is a likeable, pretty, talented and funny teenager looking forward to a full life. A life that was not to be.

Amazing acting , great music

[katiefletcher-90573 · 10/10 · 19 April 2024]

I absolutely loved this film. To be honest I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.

Marisa's acting was incredible!

I liked the fact there was so much music throughout the film which honed in on Amy's passion.

It seemed like she didn't have any friends and lived a lonely life and I'm not sure how true that is? It would have been nice to see here out and about with friends (unless of course she didn't have many by the end) The singing was as good as it could have been from Marisa trying to mimic Amy winehouse, 10/10 from Marisa.

I'll definitely be giving it another watch when it comes to streaming services,

A perfectly decent biopic with a great lead performance

[ethanbresnett · 7/10 · 1 May 2024]

Like a lot of recent biopics Back to Black does a perfectly fine job but fails to really provide great depth or insight into its subject.

Considering her short career and life, this biopic took the not unreasonable approach of trying to cover all of Amy's career, but I think is where is perhaps becomes a bit unstuck. It covers all of these events well but at times it is simply replaying the events rather than exploring the people behind them.

That is where this film failed to really capture me. I felt like it explored Amy's career and her impact on the music scene on a bit of a surface level. It explored her relationship with Blake on too much of a surface level. Likewise some of her family relationships and addiction issues were a bit too surface level. I think this film needed to really find a focus and provide more of an insight into Amy. I left the film not really knowing more or understanding Amy on a deeper level than I already did.

That being said, there is still plenty to enjoy about this film. The performances are all really good, particularly Marisa Abela as Amy. Her singing is also incredible. It isn't of course as good as Amy's but is never a distraction. Then there is Jack O'Connell as Blake who again is really strong. The chemistry between them is spot on.

So overall it is a pretty strong biopic, but it perhaps keeps a little too much distance from Amy without diving in as deep as it could have done. The strong performance from Abela, the great music, and the decent command of the events of Amy's life make it a well worth watch though.

Other reviewers are just plain wrong

[tobydale · 10/10 · 19 April 2024]

What is it with some reviewers? Do they think they make themselves look big and clever when they post reviews rubbishing good films?

Forget other reviews - they're wrong. Back to Black is A REALLY GOOD FILM! It's obviously 10/10.

Marisa Abela is outstanding as Amy. And I mean OUTSTANDING. This is one of the greatest performances you'll see. She brings emotion, energy, vulnerability and weakness all to the screen. Her acting AND singing are Superb. This brought tears to my eyes on many occasions. A great future awaits this talented actress.

Elsewhere, Jack O'Connell is strong as Amy's infatuation Blake. He's a piece of unpleasant north London rough. Believable. He's a wrong 'un though, and they are bad for each other.

The supporting players are good, with Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville as influential father and grandmother figures well portrayed.

I really liked the photography, editing and sound. The look is perfect too. We are close in to the action and emotion because the performances are so good and the camera work and direction excellent.

Sure, Back to Black may only show us a narrow view of the brilliant edgy young woman Amy Winehouse. But what we do see here is an outstanding performance by Marisa Abela that is worth seeing and 10/10 in its own right. And nothing detracts from it.

A great film.

Vulnerable story to the famous singer

[cthirlby · 7/10 · 12 April 2024]

Didn't know anything about Amy. Just her music which is pretty good. It's great to learn about this person who I haven't looked into at all even though this wasn't about her whole life and just her unfortunate events with her partner and her struggle with drugs and alcohol. Even that the unfortunate events inspired some of her most iconic songs too. It would've been nice to get a story that wasn't just her sad parts of her life but it's important to tell this story as it is a tragic one especially that people weren't so kind to her particularly the press. The film shows the darker side of fame and what it brings. You do get to feel for her character which like I said is important to see her more of a human than just a singer. The actress did great work by doing all the singing and performing herself too. Overall a decent film showing Amy as a person with her vulnerabilities making her relatable and knowing her sad story that led to the end.

Poor storytelling

[el_amanecer · 5/10 · 18 April 2024]

Too much information, everything scattered around with little to no meaning. The movie introduces parts of Amy's life's struggles without any explanation. No mention of her bulimia (she's seen throwing up once and her roommate mentions she's been sick for a week - the roommate then disappears). No idea why she falls so hard for Blake (we get nothing about their relationship struggles, nothing about why the relationship becomes so toxic). She hangs out with girlfriends at first but these relationships are not explored. During the first part of the movie she basically swears she won't even come close to drugs just to see her calling up a dealer. Once again, no explanation provided as to what changed. In several scenes we see she has lost a tooth, just for it to be shown to have it back. There was also no need for the actress to sing every single song. A shallow representation of a great and complex artist.

Fantastic

[shellcleo-25542 · 10/10 · 14 April 2024]

Fantastic...... I just watched this today and I bloody loved it. It was hard not to sing along in the theatre. Marisa abela was incredible as Amy Winehouse and deserves an Oscar for sure. I'll be disappointed if she doesn't recieve one. The bloke who played her dad was also very good. Actually all the actors were very good. This biopic follows Amy from a teenager through to her death. It shows her troubled battle with alcoholism and drugs and her co-dependant relationship with the love of her life Blake and it truly is a heartbreaking portrayal. I cried more than once. The relationship with her grandmother was beautiful. Go see this movie especially if your a fan of Amy .....you won't be disappointed. In fact I may go see it again just for the music On the loud speakers ....she truly did do Amy's songs justice.

😐 The Rise and Fall of Amy Winehouse 😐

[DoNotComeToTheCinemaDepressed · 7/10 · 12 April 2024]

Just Got out of a Dolby Cinema Back To Black Screening.

It's a Biopic that depicts the Rise and Fall of Amy Winehouse.

• ⭐ The Central Performance by Marisa Abela was Outstanding. She literally nailed how Amy Winehouse was. Even the Voice was on Point.

• 🎶 I really liked the Singing Segments, especially in Dolby Cinema.

😐 But.........that's about it, this Film is a Rough watch most of the Time.

💘 It has a Love Story(if you can even call it that), that is completely and utterly destructive.

She gets signed to Island Records and Makes it Big with her Second Album, Topping Charts Around Europe and America.

In the Midst of all that, is multiple different types of Drugs, and then you pretty much witness the Absolute Destruction of Amy Winehouse.

That's it.

Overall, it's a well shot Film about the Rise and Fall of Amy Winehouse.

Whats wrong with people?

[sidneysiobhan · 2/10 · 16 April 2024]

Classic IMDB- Audience.. you see someone you like, you rate it high regardless of the quality.

Amys live offers so much story to talk about but instead, they chose a very shallow direction and of course, focusing on the looks instead of actual biography. Hollywood is somehow allergic to honesty. So many moments of Amys life that were monumental just got left out. Not even mentioned.

The actors are okay but you can only be as good as the script is...looking similar alone wont do the job. Music is obviously great but other than that, just watch literally any documentation on her life on YouTube and you're more informed about Amy than from watching this pseudo sentimental interpretation of young artist.

If you're really a Fan of Amy, you can't like this movie.

Another Music Themed Biopic Awaits!

[johnalagoz · 6/10 · 12 April 2024]

Back To Black is a 2024 musical drama featuring Marisa Abela in her breakout role as the music legend herself.

As a person who doesn't know much about Amy but rather films, this is a decent watch... for the most part. Let's discuss what it got right: 1. The singing was on point and definitely added that layer of realism to a tee, 2. Blake was very well played and had me chuckling quite a bit but he also had this warmth combined the latter that made him alone worth price of admission and 3. The shots and angles are very vibrant and pack that bright punch Priscilla once had (check my review for it on rotten tomatoes, account: The Great John A).

Cons: 1. Acting wasn't exactly great but could of been worse from the director of fifty shades of grey, 2. Marisa doesn't look anything like Amy but take that aspect with a pinch of cranberry sauce and 3. The worse bit, THE START it is really unnecessary that a random scene is spoiled which I won't go into detail but you'll find out at the beginning.

Overall a good attempt at a biopic but can't live up to the expectations that fans, and for me Priscilla, But thanks to affective deliverence and new info for the non brainers, doesn't make it disappear Back To Black.