Review of Amy (2015) by Ben L — 14 Jan 2016

I don't watch many documentaries, but in an effort to watch as many Oscar-nominated films as possible I grabbed this one from the Redbox today. I imagine documentary films like this will become more common now that a large percentage of celebrity lives are captured on film, so we can see one clip after another detailing the rise and fall of a tragic figure like Amy Winehouse.

There's some magic to the film because it is sprinkled with her music throughout, and she truly had a wonderful voice. I appreciated how the film-makers made a point of spelling out the lyrics of the songs as the film progressed, because the lyrical messages very clearly detail the struggles she was having.

I'll admit I was somewhat ignorant of who Amy Winehouse was, because I do not follow contemporary music, so it was interesting to see just how predictably her life spiraled downhill. I wish I could say this story was unique, but it really sounded familiar as the same struggle so many people have when they experience the toxic combination of drugs and fame.

What made the story unique was Amy herself. She so clearly had a big heart and cared greatly about music (particularly jazz,) and about people. The film is, as you'd expect, tragic and not easy to watch.

I think they did a good job of interviewing and sharing clips of people who had a big impact in her life, and as an outsider I felt fully informed and connected to her tale. I imagine this film serves as an honoring tribute, but also a bitter reminder of what's been lost to fans of Amy Winehouse.

It's tough because I can't really say I'd recommend the movie, but if you are interested in a behind-the-scenes look at her story, they do a good job here.