Nowhere near as good as Sam Taylor-Johnson’s debut Nowhere Boy about a young John Lennon, this Amy Winehouse biopic starts out with a first act that feels very by-the-numbers with no clear identity or atmosphere established whatsoever.  For the final two acts it does start to find itself, with some charming moments of realism here and there, as well as capturing some of the more turbulent times of Winehouse’s life.  It all feels a bit distancing though, which limits its ability to transport the viewer.  
           Marisa Abela sings most of the songs in this, which is impressive, but her acting during the musical sequences comes off a bit caricature-ish.  Once the story starts to develop, she does have some good moments, especially when the story takes a darker turn.  Jack O’Connell is especially impressive as Winehouse’s husband Blake, and veterans Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville deliver solid performances as well.  
           It’s too bad because it seems like there’s a good movie here somewhere, it just felt limited by its screenplay and never took the time or detail to truly make us feel this story and all its pain.