Back to Black (film)

Back to Black is a 2024 biographical drama film based on the life of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, played by Marisa Abela. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and written by Matt Greenhalgh, the film also stars Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan, and Lesley Manville.

Following the death of Winehouse in July 2011, several filmmakers attempted to create biopic projects but none of them progressed. In 2018, Winehouse's estate announced they had signed a deal for a film about her life and career. By July 2022, StudioCanal moved forward with production, and filming took place in London from January to April 2023.

The film was released theatrically by StudioCanal in Australia on 11 April 2024, and was released in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2024. Focus Features will release the film in the United States on 17 May 2024. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

The film opens with scenes of Amy Winehouse's Jewish family background, her father Mitch and her grandmother "Nan" Cynthia, with their love for music and singing. Amy's close friend, Tyler hands his manager Nick a demo tape of Amy's recording and is impressed by her talent. She then signs a contract with Island Records and releases her first album Frank.

After enjoying acclaimed success, her record label wish to alter some changes with her stage act, which Amy strongly disagrees with. Amy then reveals she needs time off to live her songs, and then meets Blake in a pub in Camden Town where they fall in love. Their relationship is soon troubled by Blake's cocaine addiction, Amy's alcoholism and her bulimia. After experiencing Amy's irritable behaviour, Blake reveals he thinks they would be better as friends and wants to work on things with his ex-girlfriend Becky, which leaves Amy heartbroken. Before going to New York, she learns her grandmother is dying of a lung cancer. After a difficult period of these traumatising events all happening at once, she then gathers inspiration to write her hit album Back to Black.

Blake and Amy reconcile shortly after the release of her second album. They get married in Miami, Florida, much to Mitch's dismay. But soon after, Blake is arrested and then serves a 2 year-sentence in jail for perverting the course of justice. Before he is released and Amy has now become a drug addict, Blake reveals he has been having counselling and informs Amy that he wishes to divorce as he wants a fresh start.

After various blackouts, Amy decides to accept "rehab". She later receives 5 Grammy Awards. A last scene shows her new home in Camden Square, where Amy is now clean of drugs and trying to tackle her alcohol dependance. After saying goodbye to her father Mitch for the final time, the paparazzi appear outside her gate and reveal that Blake has a new girlfriend and will be having a baby. The film concludes with a tearful Amy singing "Tears Dry on Their Own" to herself and finishes with her walking up the stairs to her demise.

Cast

Additionally, Jeff Tunke had been cast as Mark Ronson, but his scenes were ultimately cut.

Production

Development

After the death of Winehouse in 2011, filmmakers attempted to create a feature biopic with various projects, including one in 2015 with Noomi Rapace attached to star, but none moved forward. In October 2018, it was announced that Winehouse's estate had signed a deal to make a biopic about her life and career. In July 2022, Deadline Hollywood reported that StudioCanal was moving forward with a feature film entitled Back to Black. Sam Taylor-Johnson directed from a script by Matt Greenhalgh. Alison Owen and Debra Hayward produced under their Monumental Pictures banner, alongside Nicky Kentish-Barnes.

Casting

In January 2023, it was reported that Marisa Abela would star as Winehouse, and Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville were also cast. O'Connell portrays Blake Fielder-Civil, Amy's husband from 2007 to 2009. Marsan and Manville play Amy's father and grandmother, Mitch Winehouse and Cynthia Winehouse, respectively. Juliet Cowan portrays Amy's mother, Janis Winehouse. Nina Gold served as casting director.

Filming

Principal photography took place in London from January to April 2023, with Polly Morgan serving as cinematographer. Scenes were filmed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, outside Winehouse's first flat in Camden Town, and at Primrose Hill. In February, scenes were shot inside the Metropolis Studios in Chiswick. From 13 March to 18 March, production moved to Fitzrovia to film scenes at the Fitzroy Square. The following week Abela and O'Connell shot scenes at London Zoo.

Music

Back to Black features many of Winehouse's songs from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Publishing, with Abela's vocals throughout the film. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis scored the film, while Giles Martin served as the music producer.

In March 2024, a compilation soundtrack of Winehouse's original recordings was announced along with tracks from her inspirations such as Dinah Washington, Minnie Riperton and The Shangri-Las. Their voices are featured in the film. A new song from Nick Cave, "Song for Amy" will be included.

Release

Originally scheduled to be released by StudioCanal in Australia on 18 April 2024, the film's release there was moved forward by a week to 11 April. The film was respectively released by StudioCanal UK and Kino Swiat in the UK and Poland on 12 April 2024, followed by Germany and the Netherlands on 18 April, and France and New Zealand the following week.

Back to Black is distributed by Focus Features in the United States, with its parent company Universal Pictures distributing internationally, excluding territories where StudioCanal or its affiliates have rights to the film. Focus Features originally scheduled the film to be released in the US on 10 May 2024, but that release date was subsequently moved a week later.

Box office

Back to Black debuted at number one in the UK and Ireland with £2.77 million ($3.4 million), ahead of Civil War.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 38% of 60 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Back to Black's sympathetic approach to its subject's story is an overdue antidote to the tabloid treatment she often received in life, even if the end results are disappointingly pedestrian." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 49 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.

Variety's Owen Gleiberman found that "Sam Taylor-Johnson's jazz-meets-rock-star drama exerts an authentic fascination, even as its dysfunctional-addict love story keeps us at a distance". Nick Levine of NME also rated Back to Black four out of five, stating "This film was always going to face accusations of being exploitative – given the way Winehouse was scrutinised when she was alive – but the naysayers needn’t have worried. Taylor-Johnson’s film (particularly the ending) is impressively deft and delicate".

Hamish Macbain of the Evening Standard was critical of the film, writing "The final scene, in particular, with its completely and utterly baseless, sensationalist implications, made me physically gasp in horror". Charlotte O'Sullivan of The Independent gave the film a score of two out of five, stating that "Despite strong performances from Marisa Abela and Jack O’Connell as the late icon and her one-time husband Blake Fielder-Civil, Sam Taylor-Johnson's controversial film tiptoes around judging anyone who isn't part of the paparazzi – Blake and Amy’s father Mitch get off scot-free". Vikram Murthi writing for IndieWire concluded "The palpable sincerity behind Back to Black almost makes its myriad weaknesses more glaring. Everyone involved in the film approaches the late artist with love and respect, but its tawdry instincts and misguided sense of responsibility let her memory down. Its refusal to delve into the ugly realities of addiction or pop stardom generates a vague portrait of a lost girl in need of saving".

References

External links

• Official website at StudioCanal
• Official website at Focus Features
• Back to Black at IMDb