Written by Ryan Arnold

2015’s “Amy” is a riveting and poignant documentary on the life and tragedy of English singer-songwriter and icon Amy Winehouse. Director Asif Kapadia’s Academy Award-winning film has always been on my radar. 10 years later, I’m glad I was able to watch it.

Unlike other documentaries, “Amy” provides no re-enactments; instead, it uses only home videos and archival footage to fill the screen with Winehouse’s day-to-day life visually. This type of aesthetic worked wonders for this film, as we see and feel every aspect of her life on screen, supplemented with voice interviews from Winehouse’s family, friends and colleagues. There are hours of home videos that Kapadia and his team combed through, gifting the audience a deeper look into the late artist’s thoughts, successes and struggles. 

During her short 27 years on this earth, Winehouse was razor-sharp, energetic and cunning both in her songwriting and personality. Kapadia does a good job of humanizing Winehouse through the archival footage, sharing her passions and interests in life. “Amy” never falls into the trap of sensationalism or exploitation. Instead, it stays true and respectable to the singer-songwriter’s life. 

“She had the whole package,” Kapadia told Deadline in 2016.  “But somehow she became tabloid culture, where people don’t like her on principle. If the film has done anything it’s taken her out of that sphere and put her back where she belongs, as a proper artist.”

The documentary doesn’t hide any punches throughout its 128-minute runtime. We see Winehouse’s love for music and songwriting, as well as her friendships. We also see her struggle with an eating disorder, substance abuse and alcoholism. At times, “Amy” is a hard watch, because you, as the audience, feel her pain. The world can be a cruel place, and for Winehouse, this beautiful soul deserved better in life.

To this day, the soulful singer is still regarded as one of the most influential women in music. She has been awarded six Grammys, including Album of the Year for her second and final album, “Back to Black,” and Record of the Year for the 2006 hit “Rehab.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the London vocalist has sold more than 30 million records worldwide.

She never wanted to be famous, but she shared this ambition in a 1997 letter auditioning for the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

“I want people to hear my voice and just forget their troubles for five minutes.”

Ultimately, the spotlight found her.