Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageTina: What's Love Got to Do With It (1993)
Director: Brian Gibson
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Tina Turner's story is like the song: river deep, mountain high - a tale of ambition, talent, desire; drugs, violence and despair. In other words, it's the usual showbiz tattle. This is very much the authorised biopic. It's based on the autobiography, I, Tina, and the singer was on hand throughout the production. Not surprising, then, that along with the usual streamlining of history, we get a good deal of first-hand emotion and little critical perspective. It's hard not to feel a twinge of cynicism, for example, when Tina turns her life round with a spot of Buddhist chanting. On the other hand, the movie is surprisingly hard-edged: it doesn't go easy on husband Ike's brutality, while Tina's resilience, her strutting sex appeal and performing heat all come through loud and clear. Angela Bassett shakes her tail feather with aplomb and pins down the singer's gestures with amazing precision. Top honours, however, belong to Fishburne's swaggering, savage portrayal of Ike.Author: TCh
Cast & crew
Director: Brian Gibson
Producer: Doug Chapin, Barry Krost
Cast: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Khandi Alexander full cast
Duration: 118 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation
On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'
Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now