Amy Winehouse was such a unique talent and powerful presence that creating her on screen is this bioipic’s biggest challenge. Marisa Abela, who also voices the songs, magically captures the singular persona, charisma and style of this distinctive individual. The film starts with her as a teen and follows thru to her end (one of the less moving moments), but it does so with the focus on her personal life. We see her perform the hits and cope with the strains of fame, but there’s less attention paid to the professional side of her career. Jack O’Connell, as her husband, and Eddie Marsan, as her father, are also compelling. The doc version (my review) has the advantage of the real thing, but Abela still holds her own. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson has made the interactions effective, but seldom captures any true emotional force. Even so, Abela’s dynamic re-creation is the film’s strongest note. 
(4 / 5)
