'Amy' - Movie Review

Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" is one of the greatest albums of the 21st century, and her story is one of the great celebrity tragedies of the century as well. My god that woman could sing.

Asif Kapadia directed this chronological documentary about her difficult life. Bulimia, neediness, alcohol, celebrity, poor choices, heroin, her father ... while the movie was playing, I kept thinking "they should have tried harder," but by the end I was thinking "I don't think anyone could have saved her."

It's a fascinating, well constructed, and horrifying ride. I don't think I'll ever listen to her music the same way again: finding out how true to life the lyrics are (she said she never wrote about things she hadn't experienced - and the movie plays songs right after they've set the context) makes the songs, already very good, even more gripping.