Amy

Dir: Asif Kapadia

2015

*****

Asif Kapadia thorough and objective documentary on the late Amy Winehouse is devastating and beautiful. It's bare-bones investigative journalism featuring many unseen clips and interviews from those who were close to her and really knew her. Mitch Winehouse, Amy's father, has since criticized the film as he believes it paints him as a villain. The truth is, hardly anyone comes off in a great light, including Amy herself, but everything we see Mitch do in the footage is clear and isn't in the least bit subjective, the same can be said about everyone else featured also. Asif Kapadia brilliant 2010 documentary Senna shows you the kind of film maker he is, meticulous and fair. The fact that Mitch Winehouse and Amy's last boyfriend (who wasn't involved in the documentary) are now making their own film about the late singer says a lot about them and how they feel they have been treated, missing the point of what the film was about. During Amy's heyday it was impossible not to read shocking stories about her in the media. It is fair to say she was unfairly hounded by the press in quite a sickening manner, the truth behind these stories very rarely seeing the light of day. Here we're told by friends, family and colleagues what the truth was and actually, their stories are pretty much the same and much of the footage speaks for itself. The documentary really does go some way in exploring what fame and its effect is really is like and what it can lead to. The big revelation for me was actually how much integrity Amy had. We've all seen the photos of her looking the worse for wear but she was as intelligent as she was talented. She was manipulated by others who took advantage of her and that is what eventually killed her. Some of the revelations are devastatingly sad, indeed people who read the tabloids and such should take heed as there are lessons to be learned here for everyone. An incredibly sad reflection of our society and the death of something beautiful, it is a stunning film.