I ended up going to see the Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black twice this week. A friend asked me if I wanted to see it on Monday night so of course I said yes, as it had been on my radar. A couple of days later my “Last Thursday of the Month Film Group” friend got in touch to say she was really looking forward to Back To Black this week. I don’t know about you but this month seems to have flown in and I had honestly thought we had another week of April to go, but it seemed not. I played dumb and didn’t mention I’d messed up and seen it already, so I tripped along for another outing.
Was it worth seeing twice? Probably not as we mostly know Amy’s story from all the media coverage she was given at the time of her success, but we did get a bit more of her backstory from the time just ahead of her breakthrough. I’m not sure how true to life it all was but it seems she was really close to her grandmother, Cynthia, who had been a jazz singer back in the day and sang at Ronnie Scott’s. It was from Cynthia she got her love of jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. She also got her trademark beehive hairdo from Cynthia.
The actress who played Amy, Marisa Abela, did a pretty good job and I’ve read that she did the singing for the film, which if true, impresses me a lot. I suspect there was a bit of jiggery-pokery with the soundtrack though to make her sound so similar – there can only be one Amy Winehouse.
For someone like me who likes everything in her life to be ship-shape and in good order, it was a tough watch. Amy led a chaotic life and in the film I just wanted to give her house a good thorough, mend her ripped clothes and give her a hot bath before she went to bed. Would she still be with us if she hadn’t met “her Blake”? I’m not sure, as even before she met him she was on a bit of a self-destructive path but there is no doubt they, as a couple, were a fairly toxic mix. Her dad Mitch doesn’t come out of it too badly as it seems he was her biggest supporter but had very little control over her behaviour.
Whatever the truth of the film there were some very good musical segments where all the hits got performed – Back To Black, Tears Dry On Their Own, Valerie, Rehab, Me & Mr Jones and many more. Just so sad that Amy left us at the tender age of 27, heading off to join all the others in that tragic 27 Club like Jimi, Brian, Janis, Jim and Curt. Like with the rest of them, success came quickly for Amy but there were too many temptations for someone with an addictive personality and no-one strong enough around to keep her on the right path. Only one song to leave you with, Back To Black.
Until next time…
Back To Black Lyrics
Song by Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson
He left no time to regret
Kept his dick wet
With his same old safe bet
Me and my head high
And my tears dry
Get on without my guy
You went back to what you knew
So far removed from all that we went through
And I tread a troubled track
My odds are stacked
I’ll go back to black
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to…
I go back to us
I love you much
It’s not enough
You love blow and I love puff
And life is like a pipe
And I’m a tiny penny rolling up the walls inside
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to…
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to…
Black, black, black, black, black, black, black
I go back to…
I go back to…
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to…
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to black
What's It All About? 
Louise wants to see this, but I’m undecided. I like Amy a lot, but I’m not sure I can handle the more tragic aspects of her life on film. Might be better just to stick with the songs.
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I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it for the reasons you mention. Her chaotic lifestyle meant there was only ever going to be one outcome. The actress who played her was good but there will only ever be one Amy Winehouse.
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Oh Alyson, was it hard for you to pretend you hadn’t already seen it such a short time beforehand?! I think I might have let it accidentally slip! Having said that I think sometimes it’s quite good to watch a film twice in close succession and notice little things that might pass you by the first time (I had a similar experience when Quadrophenia came out, although I did own up to it… And it was definitely worth seeing twice – and every time since!) I’m quite interested to see the portrayal here but like you say, we’re mostly familiar with a lot of Amy’s story through the media. If it comes to terrestrial TV, I’ll give it a go (such a cheapskate).
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At least with a biopic you don’t have to worry about accidentally giving away the ending.
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That’s true Ernie but some work better than others.
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Hi C – No I think I pulled it off! I just thought we were going the following week and it was a different film. The Month of May came round quickly. On the Pagan Wheel Of The Year the 1st of May is Beltane, a fire festival so Mr WIAA has been sent out to purchase a new fire pit!
I have sometimes watched a film for a second time back in the day when the cinemas weren’t all cleared out between showings and there was also a B movie. I rented Quadrophenia not that long ago as I hadn’t watched it for ages – quite something to see all the established older actors in it as young things.
Maybe it’s because we know the story so well that it didn’t really resonate with me but then again I knew the story of Freddie Mercury (although over a longer period of time so a few insights) and I loved his biopic. Yes, wait until it’s on the telly.
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I think the trailer is all I’d need; pretty much wrapped thing up succinctly.
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After seeing the Bob Marley one recently I am even more wary about musical biopics.
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I went to see the Bob Marley one too. Their accents were so strong I think I only caught about half of it!
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That means it’s a pretty impressive trailer at only 2 mins 18 seconds.
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I think I would like The Buddy Holly Story as I don’t know that much about him. I must seek it out.
I really enjoyed the Elvis film that came out a couple of years ago and I wrote about it here. Austin Butler was great at playing Elvis and the storyline had an angle, his long relationship with Col. Tom Parker.
The biopic certainly seems to be a favourite theme for film-makers at the moment so you never know, that Julian Cope one might come around.
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Sorry I haven’t posted in a while BTW, I can’t seem to comment on WordPress these days without being prompted to log in, but when I do it’s doesn’t recognise me! I don’t think I was ever ‘winning’ in the Tech Wars but I’m definitely losing these days 😉
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No need to apologise – I haven’t been blogging much this year so far and am way behind in visiting the other blogs too. It’s annoying when the platforms change things. I always come up as Anonymous on Blogspot nowadays whereas my details used to pop up with the comment. I sure I’m a bigger loser than you K when it comes to the Tech Wars!
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