Amy [2015] is a great tribute to the legendary British singer. The film is of course full of music, and it's a living proof of the idolatry caused by the late singing genius.
The famous songstress and author of some of the best contemporary R&B and Jazz tunes is also the voice of a whole generation of lonely, heartbroken beings. The ones whose dissapointment has given birth to lots of tears and many of them remain uncried.
Asif Kapadia nailed it, even when the result seems a little bit too conventional at times. Even so, the director’s particular narrative allows the audience to realize why Amy Winehouse will be remembered both as one of the finest singers ever as well as a universal symbol of self-destruction, as awful as it sounds.
That’s why Amy shocks and delights at the same time. Winehouse was the perfect anti-Britney Spears, a singer with not a single ounce of prefabricated plastic in her system. She had the best female voice in the industry since Whitney Houston, and unfortunately they shared more than an amazing amount of talent.
Amy Winehouse’s dramatic lyrics and melodies came straight from her soul. While most people choose to cry over any kind of lost love, she translated all that energy into songs that captivated millions of fans around the world. Yes, her voice was unique, but her raw honesty was simply unparalleled.
Nevertheless, witnessing the rise and fall of such a superstar is an ungrateful job. Talent, fame and fortune aside, the gradual self-destruction of the famous chanteuse is overwhelming and leaves no room for arguments in defense of drug use.
Amy makes perfectly clear that the singer didn’t suffer any kind of abuse while growing up. However, her young heart suffered enough damage, one from which she could not recover.
For instance, one of those painful moments was the passing of her grandmother, Cynthia, one of the most important people in her life. For some reason, she could never recover from such loss, and the failed relationships she experienced later were just a mere reflection of the inner pain she was going through.
One of those love affairs meant so much more: her husband Blake Fielder-Civil. He was indeed the inspiration for some of her best songs, as well as one of the reasons why she died at just 27 years-old, as tough as it sounds. Yes, love can literally kill you if you let yourself go.
The I-love-you-I-hate-you kind of relationship they had is perfectly documented in the film. However, the director didn’t dig deep to show the effect that one lawsuit resolved in favor of Fielder-Civil (he accused her of adultery) -as well as the divorce itself- had in Amy.
This was another loss, another public humiliation. Ironically, it was also a driving force to become an even better singer, one who belted her heart out in every concert.
Amy sang things like ‘love is a losing game’ with total perfection. She didn’t need any kind of extra tricks or stunts to captivate the audience and make them believe that, in effect, love can be the worst ordeal on Earth.
Another loss, another public humiliation. Ironically, it was also a driving force to become an even better singer, one who belted her heart out in every concert.
Amy sang things like Love is a Losing Game with total perfection. She didn’t need any kind of extra tricks or stunts to captivate the audience and make them believe that, in effect, love can be the worst ordeal on Earth.
Amy also shows-off once again, just in case there was someone left who had not noticed it, the immense vocal talent and artistic integrity of the singer.
Yes, she was exactly the opposite of every prefabricated doll in the industry, with great looks but little talent (Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, you name them). Fortunately, her legend matches that of Janis Joplin, and as the Queen of Psychedelic Soul herself, she didn’t give a damn about marketing, number one hits, platinum albums or fame.
Their raw sincerity and honesty turned them into two of the most valuable popular singers that has ever existed. In fact, this world needs more artists like them who understand that real talent should come first.
However, Amy’s sordid realism is pretty hard to take sometimes. One of those painful-to-watch moments, takes place during her last concert in Belgrade, Serbia. A heavily drunk Amy Winehouse, the very same one who became a legend because of her amazing voice, said goodbye to the stage in the middle of booing and name calling.
It doesn’t matter, Amy. Your legacy lives on and now, almost five years after her passing, that amazing music still gets our tears dry on their own.
April 26, 2015
Amy [2015]
Great Britain
Directed by Asif Kapadia
Produced by James Gay-Rees, George Pank y Paul Bell
Production Companies: Film 4, Universal Music, Krishwerkz Entertainment, On The Corner Films, Playmaker Films
Distributed by: Altitude Film Distribution
Starring Amy Winehouse,friends, family and team.
Cinematography: Matt Curtis
Music by Amy Winehouse and Antonio Pinto
Nevertheless, witnessing the rise and fall of such a superstar is an ungrateful job. Talent, fame and fortune aside, the gradual self-destruction of the famous chanteuse is overwhelming and leaves no room for arguments in defense of drug use.
Amy makes perfectly clear that the singer didn’t suffer any kind of abuse while growing up. However, her young heart suffered enough damage, one from which she could not recover.
For instance, one of those painful moments was the passing of her grandmother, Cynthia, one of the most important people in her life. For some reason, she could never recover from such loss, and the failed relationships she experienced later were just a mere reflection of the inner pain she was going through.
One of those love affairs meant so much more: her husband Blake Fielder-Civil. He was indeed the inspiration for some of her best songs, as well as one of the reasons why she died at just 27 years-old, as tough as it sounds. Yes, love can literally kill you if you let yourself go.
The I-love-you-I-hate-you kind of relationship they had is perfectly documented in the film. However, the director didn’t dig deep to show the effect that one lawsuit resolved in favor of Fielder-Civil (he accused her of adultery) -as well as the divorce itself- had in Amy.
This was another loss, another public humiliation. Ironically, it was also a driving force to become an even better singer, one who belted her heart out in every concert.
Amy sang things like ‘love is a losing game’ with total perfection. She didn’t need any kind of extra tricks or stunts to captivate the audience and make them believe that, in effect, love can be the worst ordeal on Earth.
Another loss, another public humiliation. Ironically, it was also a driving force to become an even better singer, one who belted her heart out in every concert.
Amy sang things like Love is a Losing Game with total perfection. She didn’t need any kind of extra tricks or stunts to captivate the audience and make them believe that, in effect, love can be the worst ordeal on Earth.
Amy also shows-off once again, just in case there was someone left who had not noticed it, the immense vocal talent and artistic integrity of the singer.
Yes, she was exactly the opposite of every prefabricated doll in the industry, with great looks but little talent (Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, you name them). Fortunately, her legend matches that of Janis Joplin, and as the Queen of Psychedelic Soul herself, she didn’t give a damn about marketing, number one hits, platinum albums or fame.
Their raw sincerity and honesty turned them into two of the most valuable popular singers that has ever existed. In fact, this world needs more artists like them who understand that real talent should come first.
However, Amy’s sordid realism is pretty hard to take sometimes. One of those painful-to-watch moments, takes place during her last concert in Belgrade, Serbia. A heavily drunk Amy Winehouse, the very same one who became a legend because of her amazing voice, said goodbye to the stage in the middle of booing and name calling.
It doesn’t matter, Amy. Your legacy lives on and now, almost five years after her passing, that amazing music still gets our tears dry on their own.
April 26, 2015
Amy [2015]
Great Britain
Directed by Asif Kapadia
Produced by James Gay-Rees, George Pank y Paul Bell
Production Companies: Film 4, Universal Music, Krishwerkz Entertainment, On The Corner Films, Playmaker Films
Distributed by: Altitude Film Distribution
Starring Amy Winehouse,friends, family and team.
Cinematography: Matt Curtis
Music by Amy Winehouse and Antonio Pinto