This movie needs to go to rehab… Or to even care about them as they come.
Abela gives it her all, amply helped by the wardrobe and hair and makeup departments.
But theres something about her that doesnt quite ring true.
Marisa Abela in. ‘Back to Black’.Courtesy of Dean Rogers/Focus Features
When Abela gives a more stripped-down version of Winehouse, theres glimmers of emotional truth.
No unpacking of how Winehouse became more caricature than human to the vultures who preyed on her struggles.
OConnell gives Blake a boxers grace, making him a pugilistic hangdog.
Marisa Abela and Jack O’Connell in ‘Back to Black’.Courtesy of Dean Rogers/Focus Features
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In his hands, we see how Mitch is both a bodyguard and an enabler.
Whether the plot point is true or not, the way the film shapes it is maudlin and offensive.
Marisa Abela in ‘Back to Black’.Focus Features
Theres no desire to interrogate her artistry or to grant a portrait of what made her tick.
In this rendering, Winehouse is made up purely of audacity, vocal theatrics, and addiction-fueled behavior.
