Tina: 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
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