The feature film starring Marisa Abela tells the story of the late singer who died at the age of 27.
Summary
Back to Black is a biopic about Amy Winehouse and her rise to fame, which has been met with skepticism and creates concern as it attempts to “rewrite” history to explore the tragedy surrounding the singer.
It opens today (16) in Brazilian cinemas “Back to Black”, a biopic about Amy Winehouse that was controversially received around the world. Under the direction of Sam Taylor-Johnson, whose CV ranges from “The Boy from Liverpool” (2009) to “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015), the film promises to tell “the never-before-seen story of the precocious Amy Winehouse to fame,” focusing on the woman behind one of the most legendary albums in music history.
This isn’t the first time Amy’s story has, in some way, been translated onto the screen. After her untimely death in 2011, the artist’s journey was immortalized in some documentaries, among which stands out “Amy”, launched in 2015 by British artist Asif Kapadia. Winner of the Oscar for best documentary, the film surrounded by praise has had a reception diametrically opposed to that of the most recent work of fiction, received with skepticism by fans of the late singer.
What are the controversies of ‘Back to Black’?
The lukewarm press reception at the first screenings wasn’t the first blow to the film, which suffered a wave of attacks on social media even before the first trailer was released.
In short, what there is on the part of the fans, before anything else, is a great fear that the film could be a sort of excuse to delve deeper into Amy’s story and her turbulent years in front of the press. After all, there has been a relatively short interval since her tragic death on July 23, 2011, and there is a fear that the film will replicate the sensationalism with which Amy’s story has been widely covered.
Since the first photos of actress Marisa Abela in character began circulating on sites and social media posts, the general impression was that fans’ fears were confirmed. One image in particular showed the actress with disheveled hair in a park, holding a bottle of alcohol, and the scene immediately conjured images of Winehouse widely explored by tabloids and paparazzi at the height of her alcohol and drug problems.
Despite being elements that have undeniably been part of Amy’s life, it is necessary to consider that many of the concerns expressed by fans and the public come in the wake of the debates that have taken over the media in recent years, especially considering the documentary “Framing Britney Spears “, who told firsthand how the persecution of photographers had been debilitating to his mental health.
That said, the challenge in “Back to Black” would be to bring back elements of Amy’s life that haven’t already been recorded in the audience’s memory. Critic Rogan Graham, from the website Little White Lies, describes the film’s Amy Winehouse as “a friendless drug addict and a tabloid joke”, further cementing her initial fears.
With all this, perhaps what most explains so much uncertainty around the material is the involvement of Mitch Winehouse, the singer’s father and a controversial figure among fans.
Mitchell’s participation in the production raised concerns that he may be attempting to “rewrite” his daughter’s story and his own participation in it. In the 2015 documentary, Kapadia shows Mitch as a figure of exploitation, and many believe to this day that he used his fame as her daughter to his advantage, even forcing her to continue working for his own benefit.
Although Mitch himself has sometimes admitted that his relationship with the press was occasionally problematic, he denies exploiting his daughter. He is reportedly portrayed in the film as someone who supported Amy’s dreams and desires, leaving aside the controversial moments of her relationship with the press.
“They both took advantage of Amy and didn’t come back into her life until she became super rich and famous,” one person wrote two years ago on a forum, about Mitch and Blake Fielder-Civil. “They’re similar. Mitch is the reason she didn’t go to rehab, and Blake took her into a deeper hole. Amy loved them so much that they were part of his destruction of her.”
Who’s in “Back to Black”?
According to the official synopsis, “Back to Black” tells the never-before-seen story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the release of her breakthrough studio album, “Back to Black.” Told from Amy’s point of view, the film offers an unapologetic look at the woman behind the phenomenon and the relationship that inspired one of the most legendary albums of all time.
In addition to Marisa Abela (“Industry”) in the title role, the film features Jack O’Connell (“Ferrari”) as Blake, Eddie Marsan (“Risk”) as Mitch and Juliet Cowan as Janis, Amy’s mother.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
