Back to Black

This is a film about music powerhouse, multi-award winning artist, and a one-of-a-kind record breaking songstress from London, Amy Winehouse.

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‘Back to Black’ charts Amy's life from her teen years through to her success as a world famous musician and singer. The film shows how Amy's unique sound garnered her a record contract in the UK and the release of her acclaimed album "Frank". This biopic focuses on Amy's love affair with Blake, and the significant impact this period had on Amy's music. Both Marisa Abela (as Amy Winehouse) and Jack O'Connell (as Blake) provide outstanding performances.

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A tie that proves all-too-consuming for Amy is her attachment to alcohol. The grip that alcohol held over Winehouse is illustrated throughout the film. Indeed, the battle with addiction is shown to be one of the major obstacles throughout Amy's life.

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The movie does a superb job of showcasing the talent and persona of Winehouse. The audience is left with a better appreciation of how and why the gifted artist was able to reach the pinnacle of her industry. Furthermore, Amy's emotional make-up is revealed as the core to her music and the reason she was so relatable and loved by her fans.

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I finished the film wanting to see more of the final era of Amy's life. An explanation or an outline of the events that occurred at the end of Winehouse's journey would have served the biopic well. At its close, we are left pondering: just what drove Amy ‘back to black’?

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Rating: 4 Jailbirds – "An excellent expose of the woman and artist that was Amy Winehouse"