Tina - What's Love Got to Do with It

"What's Love Got to Do With It" is a fascinating and absorbing portrayal of the first 43 years of Tina Turner's life. It accurately and convincingly depicts the abuse she underwent and her escape and, finally, salvation through Buddhism. Laurence Fishburne is one of this generation great actors and gives a riveting and observant performance as Ike Turner, but cannot come close to the overwhelming, breathtaking, and mighty presence of Angela Bassett as Tina. She deservedly won the Golden Globe as the Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical of 1993 and if the film had come out any other year than 1993 (during which Holly Hunter gave a performance of a lifetime in "The Piano"), she would have easily taken home an Oscar.

Music plays a huge part in the film and all of it is good. Though I'm only 12, I truly appreciate Tina's music and am always in awe when she sings "Proud Mary" (one of my favorite scenes in the film.) As Roger Ebert pointed out, one of the most triumphant scenes is where, after Tina and Ike have had a vicious and bloody fight, Tina runs away to the Ramada Inn where they take her in. It is one of the best acted scenes of this decade and I never tire of it when I see the film again.

"What's Love Got to Do With It" is one of the best films of 1993 (one of the greatest movie years in history- "Schindler's List", "The Piano") and one the most passionately and skillfully performed films of the decade.

**** out of **** (A)

Tina Turner is a great and influential performer, and many of her songs are classics for a reason. When hearing that there was a biographical drama, based on Turner's autobiography 'I, Tina', the first feeling that came into my head was intrigue, but also the worry as to whether it would do her justice.

On the most part, 'What's Love Got To Do With It' does. Sure, 'What's Love Got To Do With It' is a little obvious and over-simplified dramatically and a few of the musical scenes stop the flow at times that slows the film down. With that being said, 'What's Love Got To Do With It' has got a lot to recommend it.

Its biggest asset is the lead performances, two lead performances that one would describe as powerhouse. Angela Bassett gives a beautifully observed and deeply felt performance in the title role, her performance feels incredibly real and does not fall into the trap of being an impersonation. Every bit as good is Laurence Fishburne as Ike, on terrifying form. Both characters are very much convincing and have strong chemistry together.

'What's Love Got To Do With It' is nicely filmed and designed, as well as sympathetically directed. As predicted, the songs are terrific and well staged and performed. The script on the most part is heartfelt and avoids falling into making the characters clichéd caricatures or descending into over-heated melodrama. The story also mostly grips and can be very touching and illuminating.

On the whole, intriguing and very well done with powerhouse lead performances that carry the film faultlessly. 8/10 Bethany Cox

How could anyone not like this movie? Unless they were Ike Turner, that is. When we walked out of seeing the movie during its first run in the theater, my husband commented dryly, "Well, that movie didn't paint a very flattering portrait of Ike." and we both laughed at the understatement. If you've read the Tina's book, though, you'll know that the movie goes VERY easy on him-while merely a typical abusive bully in the film, Ike treated her much, much worse in real life. I think if they put even half the abuse and torture he put her through in real life, though, the movie would have been too much of a downer-you got the idea. Fishburne does a good job of making Ike so charming when Tina first meets him that you can see why she falls in love with him, until he turns into a monster. Angela Bassett is just fantastic, she has Tina down perfect, though her upper body is so pumped up in some scenes she looks almost masculine. Tina Turner was (hell, still is at 60) toned and buff, but not a female bodybuilder. Her performance is dynamic and heartbreaking, and I can't watch the scene where she finally gets sick of his abuse and starts fighting back. When she finally hits him back in the scene in the limo, I heard the loudest cheers and applause in the audience that I've heard since I saw Thelma and Louise. I've seen the movie dozens of times and her passion in that scene still gets me emotional every time.

But the real reason I watch the movie over and over (especially when I'm trying to get motivated to work out) are the musical numbers. They include among others "A Fool in Love", "Rock me Baby" a great montage to "Make me Over", but the centerpiece of the film has got to be the perfect recreation, right down to the choreography, of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue's "Proud Mary". It is full of so much energy and rocks so much that your jaw will just hang open in amazement when Tina and the Ikettes start going into their dance moves. I never get tired of watching that scene (almost as good as the real thing). I'm still trying to figure out how they kept their wigs on when they were whipping their upper bodies back and forth, they danced so hard. Oh, and the costumes (especially on the Ikettes and the "Proud Mary" fringe dress) and period detail are not only accurate but To Die For. I can't recommend this movie enough. She should have got the Academy Award, not just the Golden Globe, and the movie should have got the Oscar for best picture of 1993.

Angela Bassett, as Tina Turner asks the musical question "What's Love Got to Do with It" in this 1993 film also starring Laurence Fishburne, Jenifer Lewis, and Khandi Alexander. The film tells the story of Tina Turner's childhood as Anna Mae Bullock her move to St. Louis after her grandmother's death to live with her mother, her meeting Ike Turner at a nightclub, her subsequent singing with Ike's band, their marriage and divorce.

By necessity, biopics have to leave out people and incidents, often combining several incidents into one or skipping several steps. In no way does a knowledge of Tina Turner''s life detract from the impact of this film. It's a story of a woman's determination, beating the odds, suffering, perseverance and ultimate success.

Ike's and Tina's marriage was pretty much a horror show. Ike was always controlling, to the detriment of his own career, and as he turned to drugs, his abuse of Tina escalated. The most stunning scene in the film (besides the performances, which are fantastic) occurs when the couple fights in a limo en route to a hotel. Ike becomes physical; Tina has discovered Buddhism and finally gets the courage to fight back. A bloody mess, she runs away from him with only 36 cents in her purse.

Angela Bassett gives a searing, electrifying performance as Turner. Her sinewy body is a great match for Turner's, and she uses it to perfection in replicating Turner's performances (Turner's voice is used on the soundtrack). She shows the star's vulnerability, fear, and internal strength throughout.

Bassett is matched by Laurence Fishburne's terrifying performance as Ike. Fishburne seethes with manipulation and anger, even in scenes where he's being "nice." When Ike loses his temper, you can see how he can't stop and the violence just gets worth. A brilliant performance.

A must see. The latter part of Turner's life is not explored, but while she always remained popular in Europe, it was a long time before she could get a recording contract here after some failed recordings. Today she remains one of the greatest singing stars ever. But there were lots of valleys in between.

Celebrity bio-pics are very hit or miss, but once in a great while a really good one comes along--and WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT is one of them. Based on the autobiography of Tina Turner, the film offers a glossy but intense portrait of her rapid rise to stardom under the sponsorship of husband-manager Ike Turner--a relationship that quickly turned dark and became increasingly abusive as Tina's fame began to outstrip Ike's own.

Although the film is a bit on the obvious side, it is well-crafted and the two leads offer powerhouse performances. Angela Bassett is simply astonishing as Tina Turner; where most other actresses might have simply imitated, Bassett accomplishes the impossible: she makes you believe that she is Tina Turner, capturing both Tina's famous on-stage performing style (the concert scenes are really exciting) and giving a completely believable interpretation of her off-stage personality as well. The script offers Laurence Fishburne little more than a one-dimensional role, but he plays it brilliantly from start to finish, and both are well supported by the overall cast.

There is certainly a great deal more to the lives of both Ike and Tina Turner than this film conveys--but what it does show it presents with considerable power and conviction, and by the time Tina finally hits back at Ike you'll be roaring for her to hit him again--and again--and again--and eager to see her finally triumph entirely on her own. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer