Amy Documentary Review

Amy (2015)

Rent Amy on Amazon Video (paid link)
Directed by: Asif Kapadia
Starring: Amy Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, Mark Ronson
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
The life of Amy Winehouse depicted through archival footage, music, and interviews.

Verdict
It's depressing. A woman so talented yet so troubled. Her categorical rise to fame was mirrored by the catastrophic downfall of her personal life. Fame removed restrictions and responsibility, allowing her to make poor choices. Success only quickened her descent. Amy's personal life was always a danger.
It depends.

Review
This documentary is by the Asif Kapadia, the director of the documentary Senna, about F1 racing champion Ayrton Senna.
Kapadia does a great job of making this movie more than about the music, it's about the person. It's about her tandem rise to fame and slow demise.

Amy was hugely talented and completely different from the mainstream. She never thought she'd reach the heights of fame because she knew her jazz sound was outside of the norm. Her message connected with people, her lyrics were authentic in a world of pop music that isn't.

Amy - Tragic and haunting.

She rises to fame, but isn't prepared for it. Fame offers so many opportunities with no responsibilities and no balances. Because of her success she was left to her own devices. Her business managers and promoters didn't care about Amy, but about using her talent.

This documentary blends images, music, and voice overs to craft an emotional and tragic story. As her fame increased, so did her drug use. She was in a toxic environment with ample opportunity. Even without her success she was suffering from addiction, and even in her poor condition she couldn't get out of performing. As her struggles got worse, the media got worse. They fed on her downfall. It's tragic that she became a punch line. It's tragic that with all these people around her, they couldn't help her. It's tragic that even her family wants to abuse her success.

As Amy is trying to become sober, her dad comes down with his own film crew to discuss albums and film his story. He doesn't have a story. He's riding on Amy's success. He is just one of many that used her. It's a depressing documentary to see Amy and her immense talent slowly fade. We see her endangered, and unaided. Perhaps no one could save her from herself, but with the weight of promoters, managers, and family on her shoulders, there was no way she could continue standing.