I don’t know exactly why I’m having so much trouble starting this review. I know exactly what type of movie this is and what I think about it. And yet, the right words elude me. So, I better start with something easy. I usually play these biopics without much thought. They’re one of the safest bets you can make if you’re looking for movies worth watching. Even if they’re really bad, there’s still something to be found here as they depict real persons and real events. And I approached the movie we’re going to be talking about today with the same attitude.
Back to Black is a rather pedestrian and messy biopic about the late singer Amy Winehouse saved by excellent performances. And, sadly, by Amy herself, as her life was quite a turbulent one. Her music feels so honest and authentic that it touches you no matter what. To quote what she said: I want people to hear my voice and just forget their troubles for five minutes. I like not only her most popular songs but also her approach to life and music. This combination of nihilism and hedonism reminds me of young Rabbit. Young Amy appears to have been the same, as we will learn in the first third of the movie.
However, something changed along the way and she sadly became a member of the 27 Club. The first thing you should know about Back to Black is that it’s absolutely packed with music. Marisa Abela plays Amy with such grace and skill that I think this will be her breakout role. And she did most of the singing too. Apart from her, the cast includes Eddie Marsan and Jack O’Connell who were just as good. Jack was the right choice for her bad boy boyfriend Blake to whom she dedicated most of her songs. The entire cast was excellent despite the quite mediocre script. And if the script is mediocre, the storytelling is simply abysmal.
There are no dates or any other explanations for when or where all of the scenes are taking place. So, you’ll just have to guess what’s going on. Just a couple of weeks ago I watched Challengers, a movie using non-linear storytelling that made more sense than this. Or, if you want an example set in the world of music, just check out Priscilla. We abruptly skip years and pivotal moments in her career. I mean, Amy was on a tour for five fucking years and I didn’t realize this from watching the movie. And when you add to this the sheer amount of performances, you get one mess of a story. Why they didn’t include at least the year when a certain event was happening is beyond me.
It’s such a no-brainer and a head-scratcher that I’m not going to be making any comments about it. I’ll just say that the director is Sam Taylor-Johnson (Fifty Shades of Gray). A biopic about Amy Winehouse has been in developmental hell for more than ten years. And you’ll understand why when you watch Back to Black. We’ll also get just glimpses of what was going on behind closed doors. Her addiction issues, constant touring, and her two troubled relationships: with her father and Blake. Big daddy Mitch turned out to be a good guy in this movie although I highly doubt that was the case in real life.
In the end, Back to Black is a movie just barely worth watching. It’s going to keep you slightly engaged for almost two hours and then you’re going to forget about it. If you’re looking for something about Amy, I highly recommend you check out Asif Kapadia’s 2015 documentary Amy. And if you’re looking for a good biopic, both Control and Walk the Line are good choices. I’ll throw in Crazy Heart just because of Jeff Bridges.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Writer: Matt Greenhalgh
Cast: Marisa Abela, Eddie Marsan, Jack O’Connell, Lesley Manville, Juliet Cowan, Sam Buchanan
Fun Facts: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis were in charge of the score, and Giles Martin was the music producer.
Rating:
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21261712/
