The life and music of Amy Winehouse, documenting her rise to fame and the struggles that she had within her personal life. Highlighting the creation of one of the most incredible albums of all time with Back to Black.
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The story and life of Amy Winehouse is nothing but tragic and to this day after her death at the age of 27 in 2011, it still feels like such a devastating loss. This was something that really made me feel emotional from start to finish of the film, and also being reminded at how much I really did and still love her music.
We see Amy attempting to just get by in life and enjoy singing and looking to write her own music, with the support of her grandmother Cynthia and I absolutely loved seeing the closeness of that relationship as it created some heartwarming and lovely scenes. The journey to get a record deal was not really something that she pushed for as basically she did not want people to tell her what to do and have too much control over what she would sing. Her music and songs were just for her.
Obviously the downfall to everything would come with Blake Fielder-Civil and how they would constantly destroy each other in what was an extremely toxic relationship in the worst possible manner. In real life Blake had openly admitted that he was the one who got her into drugs, before that she was still a very heavy drinker/alcoholic. Highlighting the obsessive nature with all aspects of her life.
I felt as though through different scenes it demonstrated that we are all tough moments and events away from losing control, finding a coping mechanism and using that when you cannot take anymore. The death of her grandmother and then the turbulent relationship with Blake, then throwing in her father Mitch as well.
Then we have the music, the incredible music and I am going to state this in the review that the song Back to Black is one of the greatest in my lifetime. I loved that 2006 album and into 2007, since seeing the film I haven’t stopped listening to Amy Winehouse’s music again and it really is all just so brilliant. A one off talent.
Marisa Abela is brilliant in the leading role and I throughly enjoyed what she did with Amy and I felt as though she went all in with it. Not an easy thing to do at all either, so it was very refreshing to see. Eddie Marsan was good as Mitch, with Jack O’Connell taking on that tricky task of Blake. Lesley Manville as usual was a scene stealer!
