Back to Black: Why Amy Winehouse film from Sam Taylor-Johnson is so controversial & what Marisa Abela has said

Back to Black has officially landed in UK cinemas, and while some fans are excited to see her story told on the big screen, the Amy Winehouse film has been met with heavy criticism for its depiction of the late star.

The biopic, which is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, who is married to actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, tells the story about the life of Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011 aged just 27. The influential singer is best known for songs including: Valerie, You Know I’m No Good, and Rehab. The upcoming Amy Winehouse film has drawn criticism from fans and friends of the singer over its depiction of her struggles with addiction. Earlier this week, Jack O’Connell who plays the role of Winehouse’s husband Blake Fielder-Civil defended the controversial film. Back to Black follows Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the release of her iconic album Back to Black.

The movie is said to be told from her perspective, giving fans an insight into the highs and lows of her successful career and personal life. Here’s everything you need to know about what Marisa Abela and Sam Taylor-Johnson have said about the biopic.

Why is Back to Black controversial?

Back to Black came under a lot of criticism after images of Abela dressed as a distressed Amy Winehouse during filming were leaked along with amid concern the movie would profit from her tragedy.

Others were concerned about the dramatization of her story not painting an accurate picture, with one fan taking to X to show the differences between the film still and the real life press photo of Amy’s reaction to the arrest of husband Blake Feder-Civil.

Critics have also questioned if this is really what Winehouse would have wanted. The singers battle with the press was well documented, she tried hard to keep her private life private even going as far as winning an injunction against the paparazzi agency Big Pictures in 2009.

What has Sam Taylor-Johnson said about Back to Black?

Speaking in an interview with GQ about the criticism the film faced after images of filming were leaked, Taylor-Johnson said: “I'm no stranger to it, in a way. I guess I'd had it a bit with Nowhere Boy. I think it was harder for Marisa, this being her first foray into this landscape of a big movie with lots of interest. But I remember just thinking, Everyone's just picking apart a still, without any sense of what the movie's gonna be like.”

She continued: “I think it was uncomfortable for Marisa, in the sense that, you know, she was trying to be in the zone, and in the character. And once she had the sense that there were people photographing, it's really difficult, it's really uncomfortable.” Adding: “it was uncomfortable for all of us, just having that sense that we were being tracked and followed.”

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What has Marisa Abela said?

In an interview with Glamour, Abela has opened up on what it was like to play the iconic singer. When asked about criticism the film faced, she said: “I understand how it's difficult to separate that exploitation from Amy's story now, and seeing a film just being another thing that piles on.”

She continues: “The reason that I agreed to do this, and when I read the script it felt like an important story to tell, is because we've seen a lot of an image of Amy that feels like it is looking at her from the outside in. There's this voyeuristic nature, all of these photos of her walking down the street, going to the pub. Wherever she goes, it's clear that she was surrounded by paparazzi.”

Adding: “What our film does is, it takes us right back to the creation and the conception of Amy's music. And I think we felt, Matt and Sam felt, that it was time to put Amy back in the centre of her own story as a person, rather than a victim of a tragedy.”

When can I watch Back to Black?

Back to Black is available to watch in UK cinemas from Friday, April 12.

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.