‘Cringeworthy’ and ‘Grotesque’: What Critics Are Saying About the Amy Winehouse Biopic ‘Back to Black’

The legacy of Amy Winehouse, a trailblazer in the music industry renowned for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and eclectic mix of musical genres, continues to captivate audiences. The late singer’s impact is now being revisited in the new biopic Back to Black, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson.

Marisa Abela, recognised for her performance in the banking drama Industry, embodies Winehouse’s distinct blend of confidence and vulnerability. In a bold move, Abela performs Winehouse’s hits, including “Valerie”, “Rehab”, and “Stronger Than Me”, live, eschewing the common practice of lip-syncing. This choice lends an authenticity to the portrayal, allowing the audience to experience Winehouse’s music anew.

The biopic navigates the singer’s journey from her roots in Southgate to the renowned jazz club Ronnie Scott’s, and onto the global stage of the Grammys. Taylor-Johnson, whose directorial credits include Fifty Shades of Grey and the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, delivers a narrative that captures the essence of Winehouse’s ascent to stardom.

The score, composed by Bad Seeds’ Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, enriches the film’s atmosphere, including an original song by Cave titled “Song for Amy”.

But what are the critics saying about Back to Black? Winehouse fans might want to look away now…

The Independent blasted the biopic for being “cringeworthy”, concluding the review by saying, “Back to Black is a fitfully enjoyable little package that will do wonders for the careers of Abela and [Jack] O’Connell. But unlike Winehouse’s oeuvre, it’s not worth taking seriously. It’s just too afraid of the dark.”

“Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Amy Winehouse biopic was so bad it made me gasp in horror,” was the Evening Standard‘s brutal headline. “…this is a film that does not paint a nice or fair picture of her as a human, nor get across how special an artist she was. The final scene, in particular, with its completely and utterly baseless, sensationalist implications, made me physically gasp in horror,” the publication’s review added.

In a two-star review, The Guardian noted that “Marisa Abela goes all out in a valiant attempt to capture the late singer’s unique charisma – and voice – in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s misjudged biopic.”

If you want to judge the film for yourself, Back to Black arrived in Australian cinemas on April 11th.

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