James Volonte January 11th, 2024 - 11:39 PM
StudioCanal released the trailer for its upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black. Starring Marisa Abela as Winehouse, the film promises to show off the late singer’s career from its beginning to the titular album.
Back to Black follows Winehouse as her career starts to take off, offering an “unapologetic look at the woman behind the phenomenon” while diving deep into the “relationship that inspired one of the most legendary albums of all time.” In the trailer, Winehouse says, “I don’t write music to be famous. I write songs because I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t.” Winehouse passed away at 27 in 2011 due to alcohol poisoning, leaving behind a musical legacy and a devoted fanbase.
Despite the blessings from Winehouse’s estate and family, many fans have expressed their skepticism regarding the film. Some fans were cautiously optimistic, though plenty of others felt that the trailer either didn’t recapture Winehouse’s spirit or that the film was “too soon” to be tasteful. According to one fan, Winehouse supposedly wouldn’t have consented to what they called “gross and exploitative.”
Please don’t watch #backtoblack ‘Blonde’ was bad enough for Marilyn Monroe. ‘Back To Black’ is just so gross and exploitative. Amy would have never consented to this film if she had the opportunity to consent to it.
— Lou 🌈| Trans Rights Save Trans Lives🌹 (@who_tf_is_lou) January 11, 2024
I … am not sure about this one. Honestly feels too soon. But last image intrigued me. https://t.co/QtVS5XcFF5
— LiniBKK (@LiniBKK) January 11, 2024
1. I have to say this looks good. 2. I trust Marisa Abela to do well here, she’s a great actress. 3. OMFG, Jack O’Connell, almost lost it. 3. I hope they tell HER story right, and it’s not just a retelling of her trauma, because she deserves better. #BackToBlack https://t.co/pdBNNi6IJC
— Brigitte Krause (@TheBrigitteEdit) January 11, 2024
Even so, director Sam Taylor-Johnson was optimistic when describing Abela’s casting, calling her the “perfect actor to play Amy Winehouse.” According to Taylor-Johnson, Abela put in an incredible amount of work to help portray Winehouse perfectly through training “daily for hours to be able to sing throughout the entire movie.” “She doesn’t impersonate Amy; she inhabits her,” he claims.
Back to Black will premiere in the UK on April 12, 2024, followed by a wider release on May 10.
