A true story is always gripping, especially when you know all about the players. These stories are important to tell and important to listen to – here are the films to watch on Netflix, Amazon Prime and in cinemas now …
Back To Black
The long-awaited Back To Black film about the life and music of the late Amy Winehouse is out in cinemas in Ireland on April 12. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, acclaimed filmmaker and visual artist, it charts Winehouse’s vibrant years living in London and her intense journey to fame, specifically on the way to one of the best-selling albums of our time. Marisa Abela, who you may know from Industry, stars as Winehouse. Bafta-winning and Irish man Jack O’Connell stars as Blake Fielder-Civil (Winehouse’s ex-husband), the renowned Eddie Marsan (most recently in Fair Play) plays Mitch Winehouse, Juliet Cowan plays Janis Winehouse and Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated Lesley Manville plays Amy’s grandmother, Cynthia. The film features many of Amy’s hit songs and is expertly directed and written by Matt Greenhalgh (Nowhere Boy), while Giles Martin (Rocketman, The Beatles: Get Back) handled music production. A legacy to Amy and her story. Photography Courtesy of Focus Features.
On Netflix: Scoop
A stellar cast and excellent filmmaking combine to tell the story of how the BBC obtained the bombshell interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Billy Piper plays Sam McAlister, the hardworking producer and booker on Newsnight who managed to secure the interview with Prince Andrew, the interviewer being Emily Maitlis of course, played by Gillian Anderson – who is a dead-ringer for the former Newsnight host and author of Airhead. The film also stars Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew – totally unrecognisable – and also Kate Fleetwood, Connor Swindells, Aoife Hinds, Romola Gara, Jordan Kouamé, Keely Hawes and more. This is a gripping flick on how, really, the truth will always come out. Photograph Courtesy of Netflix.
On Amazon Prime: Priscilla
Directed by Sofia Coppola, if you didn’t get a chance to see Priscilla in the cinema, then you can watch it on Amazon Prime, or rent it on Apple TV now. Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi are electric in this bio-pic. The style and the glamour of Elvis’ stardom is juxtaposed against the isolated life that Priscilla Presley lived when she was with him. The story starts when teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis at a party. Elvis, already an epic rock’n’roll superstar, becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments; a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness and a vulnerable best friend. Photography courtesy of Amazon Prime.
On Netflix: Pain Hustlers
Starring Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia and Catherine O’Hara, Pain Hustlers takes you on the wild and wacky journey of Liza (an entirely made up character) but the story is loosely based on the real-life rise and fall of the company Insys Therapeutic and its founder John Kapoor, who was the inspiration for Andy Garcia’s character. This is a dark-comedy about the very real fentanyl-based drug company who faced consequences for peddling “speaker programs.” Quirky and irreverent it takes you along the stranger-than-fiction storyline and Blunt and Evans are convincing as ever. Blunt’s character acts as a middle-man who is tempted by the wealth associated with the corruption, but questions her morals all the same. Photograph courtesy of Netflix.
