By John Corrado

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy, Fifty Shades of Grey), Back to Black is a biopic of British singer Amy Winehouse, who passed away at age 27 from alcohol poisoning.

The film is named after her (still incredible) Grammy-winning 2006 album Back to Black, which catapulted her from working-class Camden girl to international fame, and it stars Marisa Abela in the role of Winehouse.

While it would be impossible to fully capture the singer’s brilliantly unique voice, the actress does a very fine job in the role (including impressively doing her own singing), and her performance is the best part of the film.

The trouble is that the screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh (Nowhere Boy, Control) doesn’t add much of a fresh perspective to the Amy Winehouse story, instead focusing heavily on her troubled relationship to “bad boy” Blake (a solid Jack O’Connell), who she meets day-drinking in a pub. The film shows her struggling with bulimia and addiction (first alcohol and pot, before Blake helps move her on to harder drugs), and serves to recreate a number of tabloid moments.

The point of Back to Black is to show how her life directly influenced the lyrics of her songs like “Rehab” and the title track, but it can come across as overly literal. Made with the blessing of her estate, the film also heavily whitewashes the role her father Mitch (portrayed by Eddie Marsan) reportedly played in trying to capitalize off his daughter’s success. The few grace notes are found in scenes depicting the relationship between Abela’s Amy and her beloved grandmother Cynthia (Lesley Manville).

In terms of a biopic, Back to Black doesn’t offer the cinematic maximalism of Elvis or the introspection of something like Priscilla. It doesn’t quite capture the rise and fall of this unlikely pop star who soared to meteoric heights before crashing back down, often feeling more like an addiction-focused relationship melodrama instead.

Taylor-Johnson’s film is also plagued by somewhat flat filmmaking style, that makes it feel at times like a TV movie. Despite a fine leading performances, Back to Black is a by-the-numbers affair, taking us through the basic beats of her fame without offering much more. In this way, the documentary Amy remains the more complete and definitive portrait of Winehouse.

Film Rating: ★★ (out of 4)

Bonus Features (Blu-ray):

The Blu-ray includes two featurettes and a director’s commentary track. A code for a digital copy is also included in the package, which ships with a standard slipcover.

• Transforming Into an Icon (7 minutes, 47 seconds): Taylor-Johnson talks about being drawn to Amy’s story after hearing her perform live, as well as casting Marisa Abela in the role, and turning her into Winehouse without it being an impersonation.

• Music as the Heartbeat (3 minutes, 9 seconds): Looks at using the music of Amy Winehouse as the backbone of the film, including working with her original band.

• Feature Commentary with Director Sam Taylor-Johnson

Back to Black is a Universal Pictures Home Entertainment release. It’s 123 minutes and rated R.

Street Date: July 30th, 2024