The upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black has been in the headlines ever since it was announced. The film follows a series of films based on celebrated musicians and artists that have entertained audiences around the world. Actress Marisa Abela is taking on the responsibility of playing the famed singer.
Promotional materials and posters of the film have been released and Winehouse fans are not liking how the film looks. While the filmmakers are confident and happy with what they made, fans are not on the same page and are finding every inaccuracy and problem with the film through the trailers.
Upcoming Amy Winehouse Biopic Receives Backlash From Fans
The online chatter about the upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic has been divisive among fans. The biopic titled Back to Black (named after her second album) is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and stars English actress Marisa Abela playing Winehouse. Doing a biopic on her is already a bold choice as in addition to her global fame with her music, her history with substance abuse and tragic passing is a sensitive topic that fans wouldn’t enjoy seeing.
As the trailer and poster of the film came out, fans have been complaining about how the film fails to capture the essence and personality of the famed singer. On X, fans have been focusing on one still of Abela’s Winehouse singing in the film. They were not happy with how the actress looked as Winehouse and deemed it a cheap parody.
On a side-to-side comparison with the real photo, they criticized the horrible wig, and the inaccurate tattoos, calling it an ultimate embarrassment that undoes the legacy of Winehouse. Here are the reactions on X,
they didn’t even try with the horseshoe tattoo
— way long jeanings (@bogwitchhag) April 1, 2024
How does this even happen, you see better costuming and attention to detail in student films
— 🔻 HEAVILY PREGNANT WOMEN IN YOUR AREA (@LockheedDarlin) April 1, 2024
I’ve seen girls dress up as Amy for Halloween more successfully
— alex (@barelyyalex) April 1, 2024
Saw somebody say it looked like an hour long SNL skit and god they’re so right
— jtijackets / Shedding Velvet (@jessetivy) April 1, 2024
This genuinely feels more like a parody. Honestly impressed by the lack of actual effort.
— Eeeerickh (@EricSmurph) April 2, 2024
The hype of the film is clearly at an all-time low and the audiences might not turn up to watch the film in theatres. However, if the film turns out to be good, they may start turning up to watch it through word of mouth. For now, the trailers and promotional material have only managed to disappoint fans, who are expecting a cheap exploitation of Winehouse’s legacy.
Back to Black Director Addresses Unjustified Criticism of the Upcoming Biopic
Sam Taylor-Johnson is taking on the responsibility to capture and celebrate the legacy of Amy Winehouse with her upcoming biopic Back to Black. The film’s trailers and promotional material have not been received warmly by fans, who are criticizing how Winehouse is portrayed in the film (through what they have seen in the trailers).
Taylor-Johnson recently addressed the backlash and controversy surrounding the film, stating that the film does not contain any controversial scenes or approaches in telling the story of Winehouse. She went on to claim that the online criticism is just noise from those who are bashing the film without even seeing it in its entirety.
She promises that the film is a respectful homage to Winehouse’s legacy. She said (via The Express Tribune),
“No, I don’t think [the film is controversial] in any way. Noise will always be big about something like this, but nobody has really seen it yet and we’ve made it through Amy’s words, music, her perspective. It is a joyful homage to Amy”
The film is written by Matt Greenhalgh, who wrote the incredible 2017 romantic drama Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. The film stars Marisa Abela, Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan, and Lesley Manville and will be released in theatres on 17 May 2024.
