Over the decades the old saga of the self-destructive musical genius or famous performer — grew up gnarly, found fame with a great gift, burned brightly for a relatively brief time and then died from drug or alcohol abuse — has been told many times.
Jimi Hendrix, Hank Williams, Brian Jones, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Charlie “Bird” Parker, Edith Piaf, Bix Beiderbecke…a story as old as the culture of recreational drugs and “yeah, man” indulgence itself.
Sam Taylor-Johnson‘s Back to Black (Focus, 5.24), a biopic about the doomed Amy Winehouse, is the latest. Marisa Abela as Amy, Jack O’Connell as the jaded Blake Fielder-Civil plus Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville and Juliet Cowan.
