Amy

                  

Asif Kapadia's Amy is a first rate documentary on a topic I thought I wouldn't be interested in. Singer Amy Winehouse was an obvious talent, but was a little too retro for my tastes. The doc is one of the first to utilize the ubiquitous video self-documentation of the present generation. Winehouse's parties, rehearsals, vacation videos, etc., are at Kapadia's disposal here and he is artist enough to chronicle her rise and fall without becoming morbid or mawkish.

Kapadia subtitles most of Winehouse's performances with her lyrics to highlight how they were often a direct comment on her struggles. He shows how Winehouse was exploited by those around her, including her father, without any finger pointing or grandstanding. (3/20/16)