Review of Amy (2015) by Belle S — 26 Jul 2015

Amy was a heartbreaking look into the tragic life of a very influential singer of the new millennium. By the end of it, I felt like I knew Amy Winehouse very well. The documentary is, of course, completely archival footage, which is why it's so amazing that the standout feature of the movie is the cinematography. Somehow, the filmmakers were able to masterfully use existing footage to artistically emphasize how trapped Amy was in her life and how truly beaten down she was. If I didn't know better, I'd think this was done with actors and stand-ins with how brilliant the shot composition was.

However, the movie is also very wearying after a while, both because of its length and because there's only so much abuse I can watch Amy receive and inflict on herself before I want to just clock out. I understand that we have to understand what Amy went through and I appreciate that, but at times it can feel like a very depressing Wikipedia article. That said, it is a very necessary one to view, particularly looking at how we as a society treat celebrities and how far it pushes them. Would I see it again? ...actually, maybe. Documentaries aren't usually my thing, but the more I'm thinking about it, the more I appreciate it. It may be hard to watch, but it's definitely worth a watch.