THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
When you seek fame, it can also be hard to share it with the right partner because you never know what their true intentions are before it’s too late.
PLOT
Based on the memoir I, Tina, What’s Love Got to Do With It follows the life of iconic musician Tina Turner. She was born under the name Anna Mae Bullock and was in love with music since she was a child. Six years after her mother Zelma (Jenifer Lewis) abandoned her and her grandma, taking only the eldest sister Alline (Phyllis Yvonne Stickney), she would relocate to St. Louis and reunite with them. During her time there, Anna would see bandleader Ike Turner perform at a nightclub with Kings of Rhythm. She would get the chance to impress him after performing onstage for the first time. After hearing her sing, he would offer to mentor her and produce her music. As Anna’s popularity would grow being a front woman for Kings of Rhythm and forming the backing girl group, the Ikettes, their romance would eventually spark and create their hit duet ‘A Fool in Love’. After giving birth to her son Craig, the radio station would change her name to Tina Turner and would later marry Ike in Mexico. After their marriage, their live album, ‘The Ike & Tina Turner Revue’, would make them a national sensation, leading them to relocate in LA. Success would not maintain happiness for either of them because when Ike’s ex Lorraine Taylor would drop off their two sons, it would complicate matters at home. Ike would start acting abusive towards Tina in front of their family when she would admit their music started sounding the same. After a successful teen rock show in ‘66, Tina would follow it up with the single ‘River Deep - Mountain High’ with Phil Spector (Rob LaBelle). Ike’s jealousy towards her would result into getting addicted to cocaine, which would only worsen his abuse to the point where he would do so publicly. She would try to leave him with the kids, but he would find her before their next show. The Turners would find new success through their cover of ‘Proud Mary’, which they’d perform when opening for The Rolling Stones, officially transforming them to international sensations. In ‘73, Ike would be at his worst when sexually assaulting Tina for not singing ‘Nutbush City Limits’ properly. With that incident making her feel hopeless, she tries to take her life by overdosing a full bottle of sleeping pills. Since she would do this before a show, she would be rushed to a hospital to recover. After this, she would find newfound strength when a former Ikette convinces her to practice Buddhism. In ‘76, she would speak up to Ike again on the way to a show in Dallas they would have a physical altercation in a limousine. Thankfully, she would be able to flee from him and have refuge in Ramada Inn. When she finally decides to file for divorce, she agrees to give up all financial claims but her stage name. Surprisingly, she would regain success in 1980 under the management of Roger Davies (James Reyne). However, Ike would not stop trying to work with her again which she dismisses. This would only make him threaten to derail her comeback. In ‘83 before performing at the Ritz Theatre, she would be confronted by him for the last time. He would threaten her with a gun, but is able to silence him when acting un-phased. As Tina would go on to perform the titular song the film is named after, the film would end in a epilogue revealing Ike to be arrested for drug related charges, whereas her first solo album would win four Grammys and her following tours would break attendance records worldwide.
THOUGHTS
Considering that I have been able to sit through and generally am impressed with past biopics that came out in between, I'm surprised it has taken me so long to make time for this. My biggest regret is finding inspiration after the passing of Tina Turner to give it a chance. Now that I have finally seen it, I have to say how impressed I was to see such a bold story. Director Brian Gibson is able to share one that is filled with somber yet ends with joy. Noticing this, he then uses this to tell us all that the only love that matters is the one you give to yourself because you can't guarantee having it reciprocated from those you choose to share your love with. It's incredibly told in the perspective of a couple who were never meant to be. Laurence Fishburne had us fooled momentarily making Ike a charming guy, only for that to disguise how self absorbed he was at succeeding. It doesn't even matter on whether or not the lengths of his abuse were as accurate as depicted because what matters is that his true colors were shown. The more we saw how cruel he was towards Tina, the more we're shouting "Fuck this guy" because he never had any shame of what he does which wouldn't even make things better. The guy was all about success and couldn't stand how someone he introduced outperformed him. He could've killed her but he didn't because it wouldn't change anything like he would want. And when he walks away, you just felt the sense of 'good riddance'. For a guy so evil, it's uplifting for someone to be strong enough to escape his wrath. Realizing that, it makes you fall in love with Tina. Angela Bassett give the performance of her career because the artist said it best that she never mimicked her, but reached deep into her soul and found her inner Tina to show to the world. And like Fishburne, the array of incredible costumes were able to help her become her counterpart (lip syncing aside). Through Bassett, Tina teaches us to be strong enough to find an escape and encourages reinvention. She found that through Buddhism and without that, she would've not motivated herself to break free. The whole performance is raw to witness, but seeing her check in at Ramada Inn was the most powerful scene because she stops hiding her issues. She fell for Ike in the first place because it was more about attraction than actual love, which is the whole point of the song this movie is named after. Seeing her perform at the Ritz in the end is goddamn satisfying because you're happy to see nothing bother her anymore. In short, What's Love Got to Do with It is an outstanding story of overcoming the obstacles. If you prefer stories that move you, there is no reason for you to skip this.
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