The Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black has been slated by film critics as a ‘poor piece of filmmaking’ and a ‘Saturday-night impersonation’ of the star.
The film, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson tells the life story of the late singer, portrayed by Marisa Abela, who died in 2011 aged 27 from alcohol poisoning.
The flick had its premiere in London on Monday and the first reviews in praised both the film’s director and cast.
Awarding the film just one star, the Evening Standard described Back To Black as a ‘poor, poor piece of filmmaking’ by reviewer Hamish Macbain.
He wrote: ‘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 Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black has been slated by film critics as a ‘poor piece of filmmaking’ and a ‘Saturday-night impersonation’ of the star
The flick had its premiere in London on Monday and the first reviews in praised both the film’s director and cast
The Daily Mail’s Peter Hoskin also gave the movie one star and criticised filmmakers for rushing through key details of Amy’s life.
He wrote: ‘All of the usual sins of biopics are committed here – only more so. We rush so quickly from Winehouse’s becardiganed early years to her mid-noughties pomp to her alcohol-induced demise that we barely get to know her and those around her.
‘Instead: a rapid tick-box exercise. Her dad Mitch (Eddie Marsan) driving a black cab? Check. Drinks in the Dublin Castle in Camden? Check.
‘An origin story for the beehive? Ugh. Check. Even the death of Winehouse’s beloved grandmother, Cynthia – played with grace and wit by Lesley Manville, in by far the film’s best performance – is merely a shot or two in yet another lazy montage.’
The Independent also slammed Back To Black as ‘cringe-worthy’ and melodramatic.
Reviewer Charlotte O’Sullivan felt the film didn’t delve enough into the darker aspects of Amy’s life, writing: ‘Back to Black is a fitfully enjoyable little package that will do wonders for the careers of Abela and O’Connell. But unlike Winehouse’s oeuvre, it’s not worth taking seriously. It’s just too afraid of the dark.’
Reception wasn’t entirely negative however as The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw said the biopic is Sam Taylor-Johnson’s ‘best work yet’ and called it a ‘warm, heartfelt’ dramatisation of Amy’s life.
On lead actress Marisa Abela, he wrote: ‘There’s a thoroughly engaging and sweet-natured performance from Marisa Abela as Amy – though arguably taking the roudger edges off.
The film, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson tells the life story of the late singer who died in 2011 aged 27 from alcohol poisoning (Amy pictured in 2008)
The Daily Mail’s Peter Hoskin gave the movie one star and criticised filmmakers for rushing through key details of Amy’s life
‘The only time Abela is less than persuaisve is when she has to get on a fight on the North London streets of Camden.’
The Sun’s Dulcie Pearce also gave the film a positive assessment, but felt the first 15 minutes offered little more than a ‘rose-tinted’ version of the Winehouse family.
She wrote: ‘From girl-next-door to drug-addicted superstar, she does a sterling job of the complicated character. Many fans were concerned about her singing, but it is spot on.
‘Blake Fielder-Civil, by Jack O’Connell, is dealt with sensitively as a fellow lost soul.’
She also praised Eddie Marsan’s performance as Amy’s father Mitch, saying he comes across as a ‘descent dad’.
Variety’s Owen Gleiberman also gave the film a positive review, calling it ‘forthright and compelling’.
He wrote: ‘The film’s snaky on-and-off power begins with the British actor Marisa Abela, whose lead performance nails Amy Winehouse in every look, mood, utterance, and musical expression.’
The Hollywood Reporter gave an overall positive assessment, however they felt Marisa’s singing voice was ‘auto-tuned up the wazoo’.
Reviewer Leslie Felpernin praised director Sam Taylor-Johnson, writing: ‘Abela and O’Connell’s fissile chemistry together is a reminder that despite the tackiness of 50 Shades Of Grey‘s soft porn, Taylor-Johnson has a knack for evoking erotic longing — especially that of women looking at men.’
The positive assessment is in stark contrast to the reaction to Marisa Abela’s singing voice when the trailer was released.
Fans were left divided by a clip from the film, with some jokimg the singing scenes are so ‘offensive’ that ‘criminal charges should be brought against the film’s makers.’
In the clip, Marisa was seen singing as Amy and performing at London‘s Ronnie Scott Jazz Bar – however die hard Winehouse fans were less than impressed by the performance.
Marisa recently revealed she got the part before ‘anyone even knew if she could sing or not’.
During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, set to air Saturday night, Marisa, 27, made the astonishing confession when speaking about her auditioning process.
Marisa admitted she had to take hours of singing lessons to get the part perfect as she transforms into the late singer.
Speaking alongside the director of the biopic Sam Taylor-Johnson, she says: ‘I don’t think anyone even asked me in the audition process if I could sing!
‘I knew Sam and I felt the same way that whoever was going to play this part needed to be Amy from the inside out.’
She adds: ‘For me when I got the job I wanted to learn to sing as much as I could because this was her chosen medium – this is her artform, this is how she expressed herself.
‘It felt so odd to do all of this work and then come to open my mouth to sing and cut to a studio recording. I trained really hard, I trained for two hours a day for four months.’
Taking to social media in the wake of the clip’s release. flabbergasted fans found themselves apologising to Winehouse for the assumed sacrilege.
In the trailer Amy declares she wants to be known for more than her singing and her desperation to be a mother, before sadly dying childless
In one emotional scene she describes Blake as ‘her life and soul’ before their on/off relationship inspires her to write the iconic track Back To Black
The film shows their difficult relationship which saw Blake leave Amy for another woman
The couple can be seen enjoying the luxury life that came with Amy’s success
In another scene she can be seen getting one of her many tattoos
Reacting to the trailer, one terrified fan said: ‘That teaser has got me real scared for this Amy Winehouse biopic.’
Another wept: ‘Amy Winehouse baby I am SO sorry.’
Others were directly critical of Abela, stating she did not look or sound like Amy.
One said: ‘Wait, this is supposed to be Amy Winehouse?’
Another agreed, writing: ‘Oh lol I kept seeing that movie clip and not paying attention. I didn’t realise that was supposed to be Amy Winehouse.’
One more person screamed: ‘SHE PUT HER SOUL INTO THIS SONG. Amy Winehouse you deserved better!!!’
The biopic has drawn outrage from pals, with musician Neon Hitch, branding the film ‘ridiculous’ and ‘tasteless’, saying: ‘I feel very strange. Can you please all let Amy rest?’
Friends voiced their fury with Amy’s father, after he allowed ghoulish scenes of her drugs overdose to be filmed at her old flat. Last February, Marisa was seen with an oxygen mask as she left the property in north London.
The flat is now owned by Mitch, who also features in the scene, as Eddie was seen filming alongside Marisa and other actors playing paramedics.
At the time, Amy’s friends were devastated that her father had given his permission for the flat in Camden to be used to recreate one of his daughter’s darkest moments, which took place in August 2008.
It followed a 36-hour marathon drug-taking session, which ended with her checking in to the £10k-a-week Causeway Retreat rehabilitation centre on Osea Island, Essex.
One told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The fact that Amy’s father has said OK to a scene where she had an overdose in the flat she lived in is disgusting. It was such a personal thing and it’s so upsetting and not needed…
‘It’s like the film is reliving all the darkest moments in her life, when there were so many more amazing moments. All we’re seeing is the depressing stuff, but that’s not who she was. Mitch should be ashamed.
It comes after Amy’s father Mitch Winehouse, who is played by Eddie Marsan (pictured) in the movie, caused shockwaves when it was revealed he is endorsing the film
The biopic has come under fire for ‘ghoulish’ depictions of the star’s drug addiction and also filming her funeral
The cast also features The Crown’s Lesley Manville (right) as Amy’s grandmother Cynthia
‘His behaviour is shocking. He didn’t know what went on or what she was like with us all during those years. Amy would really hate that they’re focusing on all the dark stuff that she went through.’
Amy lived at the flat until 2010, when she bought a four-storey house nearby, where she was found dead the following year, aged 27.
It was later confirmed she died of alcohol poisoning.
The biopic has been teased for several years after Amy’s estate signed a deal to make a biopic about her life and career in 2018.
However, the film has attracted significant controversy prior to its release with many accusing the project of ‘exploiting the singer’s legacy’ and ‘capitalising off her trauma’.
Fans have taken to social media to protest the movie and have said they will boycott it because they believe that people should ‘let her rest’.
Last year Blake said he’d have done ‘almost everything differently’ in their relationship as he marked what would have been Amy’s 40th birthday
Blake, who rarely gives interviews, was asked by Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard what he would have done differently. He replied: ‘Almost everything’ (pictured in 2007)
Amy’s grief-stricken friends have also spoken out against the biopic, believing it is early for such a film to be made and fuming that the makers of the film failed to consult them about Amy’s life.
They claim that executives working on Back To Black have not been in touch to ask about their memories of the late singer, raising fears that the film will be inaccurate.
One told The Mail on Sunday that they are also unhappy at the casting of Marisa because, despite the near perfect wig she wears and the identical tattoos, they do not think she looks like the Rehab singer.
They also contrast the Roedean-educated actress’s social background with London-born Amy, who was known for her streetwise persona.
Back To Back is released in UK cinemas on Friday April 12.
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