Back To Black Explained: Why The Controversial Amy Winehouse Biopic Doesn't Work

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Amy Winehouse was a one-in-a-generation talent plagued by inner demons and tabloid-splashed controversy, but who through it all brought a spark of life and joy to the world and filled the airwaves with her incomparable voice and witty lyrics. The new biopic of the star, Back to Black, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Marisa Abela was an opportunity to take a deeper examination of Amy’s inner life and her work, but instead seems mostly interested with a more surface level (and, in many cases, sanded down) look at the star’s life. So what did the film get right and wrong about Amy’s life and story? And why does it, in the end, totally fall flat as a biopic of such a larger than life, interesting person?
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:38 Amy's start in the industry
02:18 Her sharp, sparking personality
03:28 Amy's darker struggles
04:24 Thanks to Zocdoc
06:04 Important people that were surprisingly left out the film
06:56 Amy & Blake
08:04 Did Amy really want a baby? (& Did it lead to her end?)
09:41 The singing in the film & lack of focus on Amy's creativity
11:38 The film's focus on her relationships
12:46 Amy as a symbol instead of a person
13:45 Keeping Amy's memory alive
The Take was created by Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
This video was produced/written/narrated/edited by Jessica Babineaux

[@thetake]

Go to zocdoc.com/THETAKE to download the Zocdoc app for free and book a top-rated doctor today.

[@GiulianaBruna]

At this point just write an original character instead of exploiting a person you obviously don't care to understand

[@thecavalieryouth]

Yeah, rather say one of the influences of the original character is Amy Winehouse or Judy Garland or Whitney Houston - but leave the very real human beings they were the fuck alone.

[@katkit1479]

@@thecavalieryouth What do you mean, leave them alone? They are all dead...

[@thecavalieryouth]

@@katkit1479 yeah, let them be dead in peace. They were constantly being picked apart, scrutinised, ridiculed and harassed in life; they never knew peace while they were alive. So leave them and their memories be, if for no other reason than their loved ones should be respected as they're the ones most affected by the death and the subsequent public interest. These people may have been public figures, but that doesn't mean they were products we should exploit whenever we choose, in whatever way satisfies our whims. Let's just have a little more respect for our fellow human, unless they're a literal devil/war criminal.

[@katkit1479]

@@thecavalieryouth How is a biopic exploiting dead celebrities? If anything, biopics help us to understand these people more deeply and appreciate them more. At least that's how I felt after watching this. I do find it interesting though how this biopic seems to have received way more scrutiny than Rocketman, Elvis and Bohemian Rhapsody and I wonder why? Idk about you but I just want to see the stories of these people come to life so we can celebrate them more. If, however, they are being portrayed incorrectly, as in the Marilyn biopic, then that's completely different, but assuming it is relatively accurate, I don't see the issue.

[@bloodmongerzero4431]

Original? That's how you get executives to wave a cross like crazy.

[@chibiktsn3]

They couldn’t even get her eyeliner right, how could they do the rest of her story justice?

[@emmaterrestrial892]

my first thought too!!

[@jenny4721]

I thought that but I wasn't sure, glad I wasn't just crazy

[@gretchenguydish9221]

Agreed! I'm looking at the actresses hair, eyeliner, eyebrows, and hello?! Amy had spectacular Blue eyes!!! There was a statue made which captured her eyes sparkling beautifully but I think the hair part was off, unless it was superimposed in the photo I saw? She always parted her hair to her right, it seemed she had a natural cowlick there~ I think many of us get attached to the details ~ Sorry, I'm like this with the Princess Diana movies and statue too ~

[@STRcircaFKR]

Yeaaaaah if I were the actor I would wax my eyebrows so I could have them look accurate lol like.... come on guys

[@malvavisco10]

The documentary on her, “Amy,” (2015), really did her justice by peering into her inner world, incorporating the extensive home videos she filmed as well as some intimate performances

[@ilooli]

It’s been a while but I do remember that it was visually stunning and her voice memos were out of this world.

[@KingHiki]

Just watch the 2015 documentary

[@jenni4claire]

It's a great film. I could never watch it again. I knew her life was no comedy but jayzuuus.

[@alim.9801]

I agree, that might be the best documentary I've ever seen. It's hard to watch at times but very well-made

[@missdeejay]

The documentary made me cry. So sad to see the turn of events in Amy's life. 😢

[@lefton4ya]

The best biographical documentary ever. Is a definite hard watch though but glad I watched it.

[@territmoderitmo9190]

Did anyone watched “Reclaiming Amy”? Mitch’s doc, he was far from happy with “Amy”

[@Keiaradise]

As someone who is an Amy stan, I’ll never watch this movie

[@trusha_tungare]

same dude...same, i will always be a amy fan and stan!

[@jessjess23brooks89]

It shouldn't even have been made. She didn't even die all that long ago, but they couldn't wait to exploit her. It's just like those tacky Halloween costumes people wear of her: a cheap caricature.

[@user-us5pv8zw3z]

I agree. We already have a respectful documentary. We have her music. That’s plenty. Rest easy, Amy. You’re ok now.

[@marniekilbourne608]

I only ever heard two of her songs but I hated this movie. I knew some things about her. It seemed to make her kind of onenote and it seems more like a Lifetime movie.

[@benjamin6492]

@@jessjess23brooks89 the othe rone shouldnt have been made ,it was all abotu insultign her family an amy would be furious she loved her family ,rest in peace amy,oh the new movies just fine !

[@lizh6535]

As soon as the filmmakers said they worked closely with her family (ie, her overbearing and self-centred father) I knew it wouldn't be anything like her actual lived experience.

[@dawnharley9889]

The family had nothing to do with it the director tried but they never answered her calls just look it up

[@urugozo]

"It was a piece of shit, you look fit though" i-co-ni-que

[@CrypticCharm]

what i found patronising, aside from how the film plays loose and fast with history, including never showing her final heartbreaking performance in Belgrade...it can be found on youtube, and it did play down, what her dad and ex-husband were like. was the idea that Amy was unfulfilled because she wasn't a mother, that she was desperate to be a mother, she pined over it so much. she ended her life, because her ex, was a parent and she wasn't, and that was it. the story of Amy Winehouse, is a heartbreaking one, in which she was tabloid fodder for scummy newspapers but the "unfulfilled because she's not a mother, and nothing else matters" was so patronising

[@Roseforever84]

Wow that is so fucking patronizing. I hate the message that “oh all women want to be mothers and nothing else they’ve ever accomplished in their lives matters cuz they don’t have kids”. Wow, that is disrespectful to Amy! Absolute garbage

[@Bubbles603]

This is the second “biopic” about an iconic famous woman where the claim is that she’s sad because she never had kids and it’s becoming a weird trend. First it was Blonde with Marilyn and now with Amy it’s like they’re trying to shame any woman who doesn’t live a conventional life. Which is exactly what Marilyn and Amy were: unconventional and iconic for it. For many women these women were beacons and icons and biopics trying to rewrite history feels weird and predatory especially when these women can’t physically defend themselves

[@pettykittyfam]

No one Not ONE of us was in her head or heart! I'm so sick of people pretending to know what a total stranger felt. You don't know and they don't know. Neither of you should be speculating if that's the reason she did what she did. Suicide is complicated and never just about one thing and to even have this discussion is a insult to Amy and her life's struggles. Let me tell you as a recovering addict her addiction was the top reason she's dead. Nothing more or less ... Alcohol and drug abuse kills. The rest is just semantics.

[@larissachagas1276]

thats what happens when men writes woman - oh needs to be a mommy

[@laumay7364]

As far as I’ve heard, her death was accidental. Foreseeable but not intentional.

[@donna25871]

I read an interview with the screen writer of this film. He basically felt sympathy for Mitch and Blake and wrote them as much more sympathetic people. Sorry but that is not doing justice to Amy and playing around with the truth will just turn people off. Also Sam Taylor-Johnson works best in a film where she gets to groom the lead actor.

[@CooksFSH]

I have no idea why this movie was made, no one asked for it!

[@jenni4claire]

I think her dad would have sold her bones for the cash, he's such a greedy old bastard

[@RhaegarTargaryen1st]

Same as with the Whitney Houston biopic. Pure exploitative money grabs!

[@larissachagas1276]

her father wanted to clean his image and exploit money at the same time.

[@CurtisJeffries-cd5vu]

money.

[@a.d.8827]

Sam Taylor Johnson is riding the biopic wave hoping that after this movie she'll finally be taken seriously, but she fucked up and this garbage piece of footage is proof of the fact that she's talentless

[@Katecatable]

I do not like biopics. They can never be authentic, as they are usually told by a third person with a certain angle. But I hope that people get mesmorized by her lyrics and gorgeous music. So maybe she gets more credit and exposure and her songs can be felt and heard by many more people, comforting and fascinating them.

[@jennypeck1186]

A biopic with a lead actress that looks & sounds NOTHING like her….what a shame

[@ilooli]

No hate for the actress, though. She did everything she could. It’s on the people who cast her.

[@sabrinashelton1997]

Well, it would be hard to find someone who looks like her. Maybe they should have seen if Adam Sandler's daughter was available.

[@Kanetsugi]

@@sabrinashelton1997kali uchis looks more like Amy that this actress

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

When she was alive, she was relentlessly mocked - including her addiction being mocked by comedians. It reminded me of the way other women like Sinead O'Connor, Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, and Amanda Bynes were treated. And then she passed away too young and too tragically, after so much mistreatment and pain. She deserves to be honored and remembered for her work. She deserves an empathetic lens for her struggles.

[@dennischristopher9952]

Sadly we live in a world where most people are too narcissistic and ignorant to show empathy.

[@drewberriesandcream]

first marilyn, now amy. hollywood keeps disrespecting the women i love.

[@christinethuo6840]

They even fd up Whitney

[@drewberriesandcream]

@@christinethuo6840 and my girl whitney!!!!! this is why we can’t have nice things 😩

[@a.d.8827]

Hollywood keeps disrespecting women PERIODT

[@jezzip2290]

For real. The fucked up thing is the media played a part in their torment which probably added to the scale of their untimely demise. And now they’re still wringing money out of their image even after their death.

[@amuria55]

Feels like Amy got another low blow done to her even after passing with this crap, it's damn right depressing and makes my stomach churns.

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

It feels like exploited women, including women like Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe, aren't even safe in death.

[@meggy0]

Mark Ronson was originally in the movie, but was cut from the final product. There was an interview with the actor who played him expressing disappointment at being cut, and Taylor-Johnson came out and said 'he was never in the movie' - yet he was credited on the IMDB and referenced on set, so she just lied about it for some reason, maybe Ronson decided he didn't want anything to do it, still, very weird for Taylor-Johnson to lie.

[@GrahmWaters]

so glad this video exists. What a waste of a biopic, truly awful, but The Take did a great job breaking it down in a more fair way than my own disgust!

[@chip672]

When It comes to biopic, an R rating should mean something. Having the biopic delve into uncomfortable truths. Perhaps showing how addiction eats away at someone. Showing how mental illness made them feel less than nothing. Showing how they hurt people, and consequences that followed. But no, R rating usually just means seeing nudity, and saying fuck more then normal Ugh

[@kamsismith]

You could tell this movie wasn't going to be good the moment that the first look still shots were released. I watched the movie on the day it came out and it was just as bad as Bob Marley: One Love but just as disrespectful. I can tell that the filmmakers and even the respective subjects’ families didn't care about telling a good and engaging story and know that the subjects alone will bring more traffic to theaters.

[@mangarda]

That's basically what we should expect from these movies at this point. Whenever I see a biopic review that says it skewed the truth and didn't focus on the right things, it almost sounds redundant now....like, why yes, it is in fact a cash cow to get ticket sales from the fanbase of the subject of the film. Are we surprised?

[@jessicahutchinson9347]

Amy would HATE this

[@eml3077]

LET HER REST!!

[@lizhutchinson6978]

The actress they chose for Amy reminds me of a dark-haired Anna Faris. They have a totally different vibe. I'll watch her play Anna Faris in her biopic.

[@missdeejay]

This movie came out too soon. The person born to play Amy hasn't been born yet... or maybe they have, but we still don't who they are. Someone, somewhere was born to play Amy, and it's not this actress.

[@thetake]

Thanks so much for watching! Up next, check out our video analyzing Challengers (kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGK5ZnWdfpiZqJY) or our movie & tv fact vs fiction playlist to see more of our videos breaking down movies about real world people and events (kzbin.info/aero/PLY8-JHLY9yDPhRY9gDh40Eh1DPhtWO_XL&si=viPGuG_4VoA1MClJ)

[@MrCarlosandres94]

If someone knew anything about her, they probably would know she’s would have hated a film about her specially one as tasteless as this one.

[@LovedByYou]

I thoroughly agree with this “take“. The movie seemed to make Amy this obsessive brash and unfocused girl, who seemed to get by purely on her talent. in all of the interviews and videos I’ve seen of Amy, she had a deep desire for jazz music, and how she could be a part of those legends in the community. She loved older, musical legends and desire to just sing. She was funny, and very witty, but the film makes her look aggressive, rude, and stubborn. The film as a whole is almost no better than the daily mail or the other trash tabloid that influenced Amy’s already low self-esteem. I did think that they casted both Amy and Blake in a very compatible way, however it seemed that the only thing they cared about was making this movie love story, and if that was the case, they should’ve never called it back to Black.

[@Ottska]

I don't know why this movie was made. It seems a pale, fictionalised recreation of the powerhouse documentary.

[@anthonyd9844]

is Sam Taylor-Johnson not embarrassed at how much money, time, talent and potential she wasted making this pos movie?

[@accioyoongi]

nope, if she’s not embarrassed about getting with someone she’s known since they were a kid or about 50 shades then there’s no surprise she’s not embarrassed about this. 💀

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

She's also a literal groomer, so it's safe to say she has no shame.

[@jordanloux3883]

I'll just watch Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story instead. I'm sure it's basically the same movie anyway...

[@hjscollages]

😂

[@archer1949]

THE WRONG KID DIED!

[@ThousandairesClub]

*I regret never seeing her live* 😭

[@danderson8431]

We all do.

[@nearthgg]

Oh god, 1:26 says she can’t handle fame. Breaks my heart. I’m 29, I’m young. 27 is incredibly young to go :(

[@kellymann8672]

Just watch her documentary

[@confucius12012]

I was a big Amy Winehouse fan and was completely turned off by the trailer but knew that I was going to watch this disaster of a film. Having said that I was surprised by the Actress that portrayed Amy. I thought she did a pretty good job filling in Amy's shoes and did a good job singing as well. I thought the actress that played Blake did a great job as well and the whole 'Blake first meets Amy' sequence was well done. However, any hint of this becoming a decent movie came completely apart when Amy was to go to New York to meet Mark Ronson. Not only do we not get a scene of her meeting Mark, we are thrown into a "made for this movie" video of the song Back to Black. We see what looks to be recreated scenes from Amy's Back to Black video commingled in with her nan's funeral. From there it's just a complete mess and I would rather not explain why.

[@nanyo4583]

i would love to hear your take on BL shows like heartstopper,young royals are trending whereas GLs do not have much market appreciation what does it say about male and female gaze and sexuality?

[@srami004]

Why am I NOT surprised??? Of course, they wouldn't do it right.

[@90sDRgirl]

It feels like camp ...and that's not the vibe I want when doing a Biopic of someone likeTHE Amy Winehouse... unfortunately doesn't look seriously

[@karawigley6231]

If you really want insight into Amy, her life & music watch the 2015 Amy documentary. It was brilliantly done & very insightful.

[@MassillonObie]

I mostly agree, but can we please stop saying “unpack?” Or, there is a lot to “unpack” there? It’s enough

[@katkit1479]

For a biopic I think it was fine. Just like Elvis and Rocketman we got to see how the stars got to where they are now as well as their personal dilemmas. Sure, some important content has been missed out but there's so much you can do in 2 hours. The only aspect that should've been included but wasn't was how her dad exploited her, he was portrayed as way too nice. For those saying she looks nothing like Amy, consider: Does Austin Butler look like Elvis? Does Tarron Egerton look like Elton? Not really so don't think it's fair to have a go at Marisa.

[@sixfoursoul2538]

The entire movie just felt awkward the theater was empty as soon as the credit started rolling

[@marniekilbourne608]

This movie was more like a made for tv Lifetime movie.

[@Rebecca-x]

I love Amy Winehouse so much. I watched the film last month. It was okay. The actress was good she really did try and you can see that as did all the other actors. But yeah I think the film had its faults

[@spaceo8568]

It's because Hollywood is more interested in making money than actually telling stories. Even when it comes to telling the story of a real person. Hollywood doesn't make movies anymore, it makes content. There's a difference.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I knew it was a bad idea from the moment I saw the trailer. Also, you know it’s Oscar-baity.

[@LeoMes01]

Hey everybody Lupe Fiasco is gonna drop a concept album where Amy Winehouse gets resurrected as a Battle rap Samurai.

[@a.j.bowers7682]

Thank you for mentioning that she was able to kick drugs in 2008 I’ve seen so many people say she od on drugs and that’s how she died but she died of alcohol poisoning and I’ve seen so many comments on Facebook and instagram from people calling her a junkie like they can’t do 2 minutes worth of research

[@josefaharrison]

at least find someone who looks like her

[@Lemonadeizzy]

Lauren from fifth harmony would have done her justice

[@SunShine-qk4rb]

Rip Amy..I’m hoping to see this soon but maybe someone else can do another movie on her

[@Maw0]

We had a documentary that captured her story from an objective angle, so why did we need this?

[@BloodSweatandFears]

The real documentary is so good. Just watch that one.

[@RetroNerdGirl]

There are some biopics where you say, "yeah, that actor has captured the sprit" of whoever they are portraying. Although the actor is cute and doing her best, I don't see Amy there.

[@Sophie-hm7yz]

Who is really asking for all those biopics anyway?

[@Maw0]

Hollywood.

[@liamn.watson4867]

2nd times the charm. Worked with Steve Jobs.

[@franciscojeronimo5881]

Marisa Abela has a notoriously good performance and sings quite well but not hearing Amy's voice was already a turn down, being this superficial about her struggles made the movie quite hollow.

[@enaxor6880]

I really liked the movie when i watched it, i was only slightly educated on her story and stuff. I tjink it was a great film, but not to represent Amy. If it wasn't a biopic and replaced Amy with another character, it would be great ! But now it is as you show really irrespectful of her

[@MalaAnsoo]

The actress was also a bad choice. She has no similarities with the original and it wouldn’t even been so bad if she would’ve captured her personality and movements like Rami Malek did on his Freddy Mercury impersonation. Makes me sad, cause I really wanted this to work. At least we still got the 2015 documentary.

[@wintermoon7003]

The actress doesn't even look like Amy Winehouse! They couldn't even get her look right! How can they be trusted with her story when they couldn't even get an actress who looked like her.

[@amberlikely420]

Can we get a do-over with Lady Gaga as Amy and writers that actually care about telling Amy’s story?

[@chaotic.caliope]

Well, the daddy thinks is fine. 🙄🙄

[@babyblue3717]

I look at Marisa and i do not see Amy, at all. She looks like a 17yo kid dressed up as Amy for Halloween. I know she tried her best, but it was a losing fight. She could never have captured the uniqueness and wonder that was Amy Winehouse. She should NOT have sang her part; i have no idea why production put this burden on her. In the end, she looks and sounds nothing like the real Amy, and this whole movie is simply disrespectful.

[@justsaybobby]

In order to use her name, they probably had to get the watered down green light from who ever has control of her image.

[@Maw0]

Her Dad...

[@donnaliebe5318]

yeah i was looking forward to seeing the movie about amy but was very disappointed, i wish they did a bout job with explaining her life

[@ojaftertoothpaste7174]

I'm glad I'm not the only person completely offended!

[@isabelfernandes778]

💜💜💜

[@classical421]

I could tell from the trailer it was gonna be trash. This is so disrespectful to Amy the person, and her legacy. Also, her dad is a real POS - indefensible that they would try to rehabilitate his image.

[@LiveLoveLifeShare]

The actress did do great acting and singing as her, imho

[@Bleuryder]

I'm not an Amy Winehouse megafan, but for some reason, it feels wrong to make a biopic about a celebrity that was mocked, ridiculed, and exploited in her life and even in her death and then make money in the shape of this movie. I can't really pinpoint WHY it feels wrong, but it feels wrong and gross.

[@jordanloux3883]

Because it continues to dehumanize her after death and turn her into a sanitized parody of herself that makes money for her abusers.

[@pookiesis1465]

I feel like Lady Gaga could have played her

[@steve_santiago]

Documentaries > bio pics

[@sabrinashelton1997]

So everyone and everything is to blame for her "downfall". Not her? In any way? Okay.

[@redraven_y2k]

She did it to herself. When God gives you a blessing, you don't throw it back in his face by doing drugs.

[@user-vx2tu3lb9k]

I’m such an Amy fan and loved the movie. They had to choose a facet to focus on and they created a tight movie that showed how talented and vulnerable she was. I honestly don’t get the hate for the movie-it was so touching!

[@PassiveAgressive319]

This picture has his Dads fingers all over it. He continues to exploit her image

[@sweeney60]

Sam Taylor-Johnson is just a bad filmmaker. None of her films are great, they range from passable to awful. Stop giving her money to make movies.

[@DamanKingBear]

This movie made her look bad the whole time. The doco is much better

[@augustosolari7721]

One of the most overworked corpses of the industry, apart from Michael Jackson.

[@smurfyday]

I'd classify this as another exploitative true crime genre.

[@berkeley8988]

Well it fell flat because Amy Winehouse REALLY IS Lady Gaga

[@tpasi2020UG]

Please stop call everything controversial. This Biopic just sucked there is nothing controversial about it.

[@gretchengeorge5302]

Jesus, relax. Lmao.

[@devzeppalin]

@@gretchengeorge5302🤣🤣

[@thecavalieryouth]

They actively said that the movie is bad and probably shouldn't have been made 🤨 And the movie *is* controversial - it sparked a lot of controversy when the public was made aware of it. Controversy = 'a discussion marked especially by the expression of opposing views'. Chill.

[@alienboy1322]

@tpasi2020UG They tried to make me stop saying "controversial." I said, "No, no, no. See what I did there?

[@mangarda]

@@thecavalieryouth That would mean everything is controversial though, because everything has supporters and detractors.

[@user-eq5vy4he7w]

The actor looks NOTHING LIKE HER

[@chrissiem3958]

Not entirely sure why Sam Taylor-Johnson keeps getting hired.... her movies, at least the big name ones, are absolute sh*t....

[@Saber808]

It SUCKED

[@kirstypoppy]

It's so frustrating, if they had of made more alcoholic scenes people would have moaned saying 'they made it look like all amy was was drink' moaning 'the actress doesn't look or sound like amy', yes because she isn't amy 😅 moaning 'they only shown love interest men, not the producers involed' yes and if they had people would moaning saying they shown too many producer scenes. People just can't be pleased. I really enjoyed the movie

[@gumbodance]

I think its more we all have respect for Amy and this move does not.

[@theredqveen]

i will never ever watch this movie it's disgusting

[@virgilsolozzo3510]

overacting at its finest ... the dude who played blake did a good job

[@Elesqui-iu4kp]

The narrator's voice and speech is a tad annoying in this video.

[@Tinadonn]

Wonder what amy would have said about the movie about her being directed by a groomer.

[@EbonyPenmarks]

Amy’s discography at best would have been better in a jukebox musical similar to that of the Belle & Sebastian one. It would have been about multiple characters living in Camden and the overall tone of the film would have been a rather earthy musical.