Nina

Nina Simone was a huge public figure in the black civil rights movement and one of the most popular jazz musicians of all time. She remains to this day very influential and unique. This film managed to capture none of it. It decides to focus entirely on her romantic relationship with her assistant during the last years of her life and - even though it does address her mental health issues and her problems with showbiz - it briefly skims over all the good and important influence she had over culture and music. Zoe Saldana may have been able to pull off her demeanour while in daily life, however her 'on stage' performances were underwhelming. I don't have a problem with her doing her own singing while impersonation an actual person, because a voice-over would probably not have worked well, however, Zoe's auto-tuned performance failed to capture the spirituality, strength and powerful presence that Nina had. Obviously, no one can be as good a Nina as Nina was, but if I didn't know who Nina Simone was before this movie, I certainly would not have cared about her afterwards. Overall, I was not impressed by this film's portrayal of Nina's life, her music and her importance in history. If you want a better portrayal of Nina, watch What Happened, Miss Simone (her documentary) or listen to her actual music.

I came in with expectations about this film. They weren't particularly high but what I did expect was to a lesser degree the music and vocal styling. Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone missed that mark completely. Unlike Jamie Fox in Ray where he magnificently captured Ray Charles's vocal patterns and musical style, you get none of this with Saldana's Nina. In fact, it doesn't transport you away at all. It's an unpleasant look into Nina's last years of her life, one that you do not wish to fully examine. And then there is the makeup that was applied to Zoe Saldana. It was not a visual look that was welcomed. I don't know if they were trying to capture Nina's appearance but this too was flawed and I go back to Jamie Fox role as Ray. Maybe Zoe Saldana was the wrong choice although I do see her being credited as one of the producers along with David Oyelowo who also has a role in this so maybe this was more of a vanity thing because they did it and figured it was easier for her to play the role. the other thing that bothered me was that they kept jumping from one era to another without any consistency. It was a visual headache to the story that just didn't fit. This was tough to watch.

Everything you wouldn't want to see in a film about Nina Simone. While Zoe Saldana might get a C+ for effort, one wonders if there were any mirrors anywhere on set or if she figured CGI would fix her appearance; although, the problems with this abysmal film are greater than Zoe's horrific makeup. The story is disjointed and focuses on absolutely arbitrary parts of Nina's life. There is no depth or realness to Cynthia Mort's vision of Nina and - considering the subject matter - that's an injustice. It could be considered an accomplishment that Mort was able to create a film about Nina Simone that leaves the viewer feeling nothing at all. Perhaps the worst part of the film is how ugly they made Nina. While she might not have been what's considered conventionally pretty, Nina possessed an elegant beauty that was a powerful part of her performance. Nina Simone was a beautiful woman and to turn her into a creature from the blackface lagoon in a biopic is unforgivable.

Why a 6? There are few performers that can captivate an audience. Nina Simone was one of those performer. It's a crime, no sin, the same cannot be said of her biography. The first biography I was not invested in the character. The treatment of Mississippi Burning best describes this movie. Power, hate and anger best describes the song. It is also one of Nina's iconic song, brushed over barely a mention. The best description of the movie: brushed over. Why the 6? I believed Zoe Saldana was incapable of portraying a powerful woman as Nina Simone; I was wrong. Is the movie worth watching for her performance? Sadly No. Nina deserved a better treatment of her life.

The high ratings must be from people unfamiliar with Nina Simone. The makeup looks like Saldana has bad skin. Saldana's acting is passable. But the film is just boring. Saldana's singing lacks the depth of Simone.