Back to Black

A legend grows over time, but Amy Whitehouse acquired the status long before the twin evil of drugs and alcohol took her life. A prodigious talent whose voice was a distillation of the very greatest blues singers. A touch of Billie Holliday; a pinch of Dinah Washington and a hint of Sarah Vaughan mixed to create a sound that was uniquely Amy. But her life was seen through the lens of a media obsessed by celebrity where the public perception was one of excess and self-destruction. Sam Taylor Wood's film can only really be judged on the personal view we've each formed.

The film begins in her late teens as Amy (Maria Abela) is showing real promise as a singer-songwriter. Dad Mitch (Eddie Marsan) is a cab driver and part time crooner, excited by his daughter's potential. Mum Janis (Juliet Cowan) is similarly expectant but stressed by her lifestyle, while adored Nan Cynthia (Lesley Manville) is Amy's inspiration. She is soon signed by 19 Management and releases her debut album 'Frank'. Argument later rages with the record company about her future direction. Meanwhile Amy meets Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O' Connell) and sets off a chain of events that lead to the landmark 'Back to Black' album.

Maria Abela tries too hard to sound like Amy which is a futile quest and only weakens the film. Her mannerisms are exaggerated and frankly looks too healthy to play a women wrecked by addiction. Jack O' Connell is so ripped he should appear in an exercise video. That's not to suggest any actor should endanger their health to play a role. It only highlights the limitations of all biopics. Blake Fielder-Civil is curiously given a personality makeover. He is portrayed as a lovable rough diamond with a bad habit. The reality seems different particularly as Fielder-Civil has previously admitted that he got Amy into hard drugs.

Whatever its inaccuracies real or perceived, the film scrapes an extra star for showcasing her music supported by a cool soundtrack. In the end all we have is a sad reminder of wasted talent. It was a pitifully short life that plugged into the fateful age of 27; the mystical number that defeated so many great artists. A gaunt caricature with a teetering beehive is the depressing but true depiction of a life that ended before it really started.