Amy Winehouse will forever be remembered as the young blues-jazz singer who influenced so many souls worldwide. A biopic dedicated to the 60s-inspired singer has been long due, and it is finally here.
The official trailer for Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Back to Black was released in February of 2024. This film will capture the short but iconic life of Amy Winehouse. The title is inspired by Winehouse’s unforgettable 2006 album Back to Black. The film will be released to theaters on May 15, 2024.
Young actress Marisa Abela was chosen to portray the fierce and controversial Amy Winehouse. According to Marie-Claire Chappet of Baazar, “Like Winehouse, Abela is of Jewish descent and also has musical experience”. This makes Abela the perfect actress to capture Winehouse’s career. It is also said that actor Jack O’Connell will play Blake Fielder-Civil, Winehouse’s husband, and Eddie Marsan will depict her father, Mitch Winehouse.
Despite the honor of dedicating a movie to Winehouse, fans are angered and even oppose the film. It is known that Winehouse lived a controversial life. Her alcohol and drug choices cast a stain on her awards and accomplishments. As Miriam Balanescu of BBC says, “The concern is that Back to Black will continue to reinforce this cycle of abuse and exploitation set in motion by the media”. Considering that Asif Kapadia already produced a documentary titled Amy in 2015, the question is, does she really need another movie?
Some fans would say that the film is unwanted and not necessary because she died so suddenly. For instance, freshman Mia Schuur shares, “I dislike the upcoming film because it seems they aren’t good at representing her story accurately”. However, fans should remember that producer Sam Taylor-Johnson and Amy Winehouse were friends. Taylor Johnson quotes, “I first saw her perform at a talent show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho, and it was immediately obvious she wasn’t just ‘talent’… she was genius.”.
In short, fans should be anticipating the film. Sam Taylor-Johnson is known for making notable biopics such as Nowhere Boy in honor of John Lennon and Control about Ian Curtis. Back to Black should be an entertaining, comical, and emotional film that honors Amy.
