Studios: Focus Features/Monumental Pictures/StudioCanal
Taglines: Her music. Her life. Her legacy.
Witness the story behind the lyrics. The love, the life, the legacy.
Plot: Singer Amy Winehouse's tumultuous relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil inspires her to write and record the ground-breaking album "Back to Black."
Cast
Marisa Abela - Amy
Jack O'Connell - Blake
Eddie Marson - Mitch
Lesley Manville - Cynthia
Juliet Cowan - Janis
Sam Buchanan - Nick Shymansky
Pete Lee-Wilson - Perfume Paul
Thelma Ruby - Great Auntie Renee
Michael S. Siegel - Uncle Harold
Matilda Thorpe - Chris Taylor
Spike Fearn - Tyler James
Harley Bird - Juliette Ashby
Francesca Henry - Chantelle
Liv Longbourne - Catriona Gourley
Writer: Matt Greenhalgh (Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool; Fifty Shades of Grey)
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson (A Million Little Pieces; Fifty Shades of Grey)
Rated R for drug use, language throughout, sexual content and nudity (122 minutes)
The Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black, is actually my main introduction to the late singer. I have heard about the singer, of course, and her work. But was never really familiar with her songs and most of her life.
The first part of the biopic focuses on a young Amy Winehouse as she begins her career and it immediately takes off. After this, Back to Black quickly goes through some of the major highlights of her life and her career after it takes off.
A good part of the film mainly focuses on the relationship between Amy Winehouse and Blake and shows how her life started to spiral out of control. The film from there focuses on this relationship (which ended up being quite toxic) and shows how it begins to affect her career (in many ways). It did inspire her to create her infamous album, yet the substance abuse started to take its toll on her.
After listening to a couple of Winehouse's songs and videos, actress Marisa Abela did a good job playing the late troubled singer, even though some of Winehouse fans have stated the opposite (from what I have read online). The few scenes Abela has with the grandmother can be quite moving towards the latter part of the film, especially where the grandmother reveals she has cancer. If you are not familiar with her family life, Winehouse was always really close to her grandmother.
Just like almost every single biopic based on a singer or musician, I'm sure there are some things that are not included in this film. So, despite the mixed reviews and low box office take domestically, I thought it was an OK feature.
If you haven't had the chance to see this film on the big screen, it's currently streaming on Peacock!
Here are some tidbits for the film Back to Black!
Marisa Abela has done most of the signing in this film herself. She trained extensively to mimic Amy Winehouse's vocals.
Following Winehouse's death on July 23, 2011, several filmmakers attempted to create biopic projects, but none of them progressed. By 2022, Studio Canal UK moved forward with production, and filming took place in London from January to April 2023.
In october 2018, it was announced that Winehouse's estate had signed a deal to make a biopic about her life and career.
Focus Features purchased the US and some international distribution rights for $20 million, which according to Deadline Hollywood limited the film marketing.
As of July 5, Back to Black has grossed $6.2 million domestic and $44.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $50.6 million. In the US< Back to Black was released alongside IF and The Strangers: Chapter 1.
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