The life and loves of the iconic Amy Winehouse unfold to a soundtrack of her music in Back to Black, following the troubled singer's rise to stardom and struggles with addiction as she recorded two award-winning albums. Sam Taylor-Johnson (who previously directed the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy) avoids the paparazzi techniques that haunted Winehouse for her tragically short career, focusing on her complex relationships and her joy in creating music to share with audiences. We all know how her story ends, but the journey there shows Amy as a frank, funny and incredibly talented woman who deserved better.

It's an intimidating task to play a legend, particularly one who lived so much in the public eye, but star Marisa Abela was more than up for a challenge that included intensive voice training to deliver authentically Amy-like renditions of her hits. By keeping the attention on Winehouse— her relationship with her beloved grandmother, her tumultuous/toxic love affair with husband Blake— Back to Black gives an intimate look into the more private world beyond the tabloid headlines.