Back to Black review: "A competent but occasionally clunky Amy Winehouse biopic"

Apr. 9, 2024

A competent if occasionally clunky biopic, enlivened by a superb Marisa Abela, who truly inhabits Winehouse and brings those songs to life.

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Tapping into Winehouse’s volatile, no-nonsense personality, the film only truly hits its stride when she meets Blake Fielder-Civil (a cocksure Jack O’Connell), the man who becomes her husband and joins her in a haze of substance abuse as her fame hits levels of near-hysteria. Sadly, Winehouse’s switch from being anti-drugs to a regular user isn’t captured with particular finesse; Taylor-Johnson largely holds back on conveying the grimier aspects of the singer’s decline.

As such, the film doesn’t land the same emotional impact as Asif Kapadia’s Oscar-winning documentary Amy. Instead, it works best as a love story between the singer and Fielder-Civil – their tumultuous time together inspiring songs like Back to Black itself. Knitting it all together is a terrific turn from Abela, who not only looks the part (tattoos, beehive hairdo, etc.) but gives a remarkable vocal performance, sounding uncannily like the singer on record.

Ultimately, Back to Black is a sobering – if rather strait-laced – look at the perils of fame, not least when showing rabid paparazzi stalking the singer’s every move. While it doesn’t exactly get under its subject’s ink-covered skin, the caption over the end credits explaining that Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning after a long period of sobriety feels potent. It’s a stark reminder of the tragedy of a huge talent being cut off in her prime.

Back to Black is in UK cinemas from April 12 and in US theaters from May 17.

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James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You’ll find his writings on GamesRadar+ and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.

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