Back to Black

This papering over of Winehouse and her story isn't just bland and boring — it's offensive.

Much like the rabid tabloid coverage Winehouse faced, Back to Black is a lazy attempt to capitalize on both the success and struggles of a great artist.

An incomplete version of a well-known story.

Back to Black adds up to nothing more than Daily Mail headlines.

Perhaps there was a strong movie buried here somewhere, if the filmmakers had not made so many traditional choices to dull a messy figure for Hollywood.

Working from Matt Greenhalgh’s script, Taylor-Johnson vaults through significant moments in her life without giving them any real significance.

It’s not just a disservice to Winehouse and her legacy - it’s a disservice to compelling storytelling.

It's better than you've heard.

There is not much to dislike about this film but the fact that the people around Winehouse seemed unable or unwilling to stop her from self-destructing. It breaks one’s heart to think someone in her circle could have helped her in the end.

Abela’s poignant and passionate performance as the singer offers audiences a moving portrait of an artist who could have offered so much more, but whose light was cut short in the prime of her life.