Never seems authentic or real, just a bizarrely staged re-creation.
Nina
Singer. Activist. Survivor. Legend.
2016 · 1h 30m · Not Rated
Drama, Music
Directed by
Cynthia Mort
Overview
The story of the late jazz musician and classical pianist Nina Simone including her rise to fame and relationship with her manager Clifton Henderson.
Director and cast
- Cynthia Mort Director
- Zoe Saldaña as Nina Simone
- David Oyelowo as Clifton Henderson
- Mike Epps as Richard Pryor
- Ella Thomas as Lorraine Hansberry
- Ronald Guttman as Henri Edwards
- Ella Joyce as Clifton's Mom
- Keith David as Clifton's Father
- Mary Pat Gleason as Ordlery Pat
- Siena Goines as Heather
- Kit Leonard Dennis as Lawyer
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
Respectfully factual in its over-all contours but sensational and sentimental nonetheless, the movie reduces Simone's life to cliches about hope; it replaces the creative drive with the commercial one, the artist with the celebrity.
Saldana does a fine job of delivering the lyrics -- a daunting task for any actress required to step into those vocals, but fans of Simone will be aching for the real deal.
A Nina Simone novice seeing this picture would have no idea who this complex, magnificent artist was, or why she mattered.
Why Mort, who wrote and directed the film, has chosen to focus on Simone's troubled 1990s period in France is anyone's guess.
More films
The Straight Story (1999)
Drama · G
A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the ...
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Director
- David Lynch
- Cast
- Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Jane Galloway Heitz
The Pianist (2002)
Drama · War · R
The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of...
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Director
- Roman Polanski
- Cast
- Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay
Schindler's List (1993)
Drama · History · War · R
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
- Runtime
- 3h 15m
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Drama · Romance · PG-13
From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash Jr. experiences it all. As a brilliant but socially awkward mathematician, he made a groundbreaking discovery early in his career and stands on the brink of international acclaim. But as the handsome and arrogant Nash accepts secret work in cryptography, he beco...
- Runtime
- 2h 15m
- Director
- Ron Howard
- Cast
- Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Comedy · Drama · Romance · PG-13
Jess Bhamra, the daughter of a strict Indian couple in London, is not permitted to play organized soccer, even though she is 18. When Jess is playing for fun one day, her impressive skills are seen by Jules Paxton, who then convinces Jess to play for her semi-pro team. Jess uses elaborate excuses to hide her matches from her family whi...
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Director
- Gurinder Chadha
- Cast
- Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
The Lorax (2012)
Animation · Family · PG
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Chris Renaud
- Cast
- Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Ed Helms
Home Makeover (2010)
Animation · Comedy · Family · N/A
When a social worker visits Gru’s house to assess its suitability for children, chaos ensues. Margo, Edith, and Agnes, along with the ever-mischievous Minions, scramble to give the home a makeover in record time. Their attempts to create a warm and inviting environment quickly spiral into hilarity as the Minions’ unorthodox methods lea...
- Runtime
- 5m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Samuel Tourneux
- Cast
- Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Kate Fisher
Orientation Day (2010)
Animation · Comedy · Family · N/A
The Minions embark on their first day of work, eager to prove themselves in their new roles. After watching a hilariously outdated 'Initiation Video,' three rookie Minions take on bomb-carrying duty. Predictably, their enthusiasm quickly spirals into chaos as they bungle the simplest of tasks. Packed with slapstick comedy and the Minio...
- Runtime
- 4m
- Director
- Kyle Balda, Samuel Tourneux
- Cast
- Pierre Coffin, Rob Huebel











Comments
Talk about the film with other members