Amy: The Aftermath

Many knew Amy Winehouse as the soulful singer with a beehive updo, thick-winged eyeliner and Monroe piercing who struggled with drug abuse, but not many knew the down-to-earth girl behind the signature look.

The documentary, Amy, which premiered at this year’s Cannes film festival, depicts the rise and heartbreaking fall of the compelling soul singer from her youth until her early death at the age of 27.

Asif Kapadia—BAFTA winning director of Senna—compiled the documentary from home videos and archival footage (including never before seen footage) layered over interviews of family and close friends of Winehouse.

The film introduces Winehouse and her troubled childhood as she dealt with divorced parents and suffered from depression and bulimia. 

Winehouse’s ruthless relationship with husband Blake Fielder-Civil is also detailed in the film. It is revealed that Civil, who was also a trouble addict, was the one who introduced Amy to crack cocaine.

After watching the documentary, viewers have a better understanding of who Amy was; a shy girl who desired nothing more than to perform the music she loved making.

“I don’t think I’m going to be at all famous,” she is seen saying in an early interview. “I don’t think I could handle it.”

It’s hard to digest the information presented on screen as the gifted singer sadly predicts her devastating future, but it’s also comforting to learn she wasn’t all that the media portrayed her to be.

Overall the film has received raving reviews after it’s July 3rd limited release in the UK, Ireland and USA. Amy broke box office records in the UK for the highest opening weekend of a British documentary.
[sam id=”3″ codes=”true”] The film grossed $222,015 across six theaters, with a location average of $37,083 in just three days.

Recently the film has caused controversy as Winehouse’s family distances themselves from the film which they call “misleading.”

More specifically Winehouse’s father, Mitch, has spoken out against the film to several media outlets calling the film “preposterous” as it depicts him in a bad light.

Mitch is reportedly working with his daughter’s former fiancé, Reg Traviss, to release a new documentary which they say will tell the real story of Amy and his relationship with her throughout the years.

On July 5, Mitch tweeted: “All Amy’s friends who were excluded from film will have their say. They won’t be edited. Kapadia, you are a disgrace.”

For those who never got a chance to watch the documentary in theaters,  you can expect to find the flick on DVD in the next couple of months.