When the trailer for Sam Taylor-Johnson’s biopic of Amy Winehouse, Back to Black, first landed, her fans were gracious. ‘This,’ they said, ‘is going to be terrific.’ I’m winding you up. They were horrified. It’s too soon, they said. It’s exploitative and trashes her legacy, they concluded, from having watched two minutes of footage. I can only say that, one, fanatical fans are like that whatever you do, and two, this is better than I expected (although my expectations were low). It does seem softened at the edges, and one can never forgive a falling-in-love montage set at London Zoo – ever – but
I (mostly) didn’t cringe and it is respectful, if painful.
Abela captures an Amy who is strong and fragile, needy and tough, charismatic and defiant
Amy died at 27 (of alcohol poisoning) so there is no ‘comeback’ third act. She barely had a second act and most of that is the ‘downward spiral’ which is always horrible to........