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Nina Movie Review

Name: Nina Movie Review
Item: Nina
Rating: 1.5
Author: Sonali Sharma

Written by

Review for the film " Nina"

Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video

Runtime: 01 Hour 30 Minutes

Certificate: UA

Released: 22-04-2016

OTT Release: 10-10-2024

Genre: Drama, Biography, Musical

Similar To: The Man With The Iron Heart, Write When You Get Work, Somewhere Beautiful, Lying And Stealing

Critic Review
User Review

1.5 / 5.0

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CAST & CREW

David Oyelowo

Keith David

Mike Epps

Mark Burton

Jessica Oyelowo

Zoe Saldana

MORE CAST & CREW

Producer:

Barnaby Thompson

Ben Latham Jones

Stuart Parr

Music Director:

Ruy Folguera

Marius De Vries

Editor:

Susan Littenberg

Josh Rifkin

Mark Helfrich

Director:

Cynthia Mort

Supporting Actress:

Jessica Oyelowo

Zoe Saldana

Costume Designer:

Magali Guidasci

Art Director:

John Chichester

Director of Photography:

Mihai Malaimare Jr

Executive Producer:

Mark Burton

Aigerim Jakisheva

Gene Kirkwood

Casting Director:

Heidi Levitt

empty:

Jason Gaya

Story Writer:

Cynthia Mort

Script Supervisor:

Stephanie Dusart

Gaffer:

Eddie San Chan

Production Designer:

Missy Stewart

Set Decorator:

Jan Pascale

Casting Associate:

Lauren Fernandes

Stunt Coordinator:

Jimmy Romano

Stunt Performer:

Andrei Runtso

Digital Compositor:

Geoff DuQuette

Compositor:

Michael Bogen

Myong Choi

Visual Effects Artist:

Brennan Prevatt

Fortunato Frattasio

Boom Operator:

David Wallace

First Assistant Editor:

Derek Drouin

Supporting Actor:

Mike Epps

Marianne Muellerleile

Kevin Mambo

Ken Davitian

Keith David

Ronald Guttman

Fred Cassidy

Ella Thomas

Ella Joyce

Chuma Gault

Camille Natta

Bonnie Bartlett

Ben Latham Jones

Anthony Molinari

Allison Sarofim

David Oyelowo

Stevens Gaston

Click Here For Full Cast & Crew

Cynthia Mort directs the biopic thriller Nina. Ben Latham-Jones, Stuart Parr, Barnaby Thompson, and David Oyelowo David Oyelowo is a classically trained stage actor >> Read More... head the production team under the banners of Ealing Studios. The distribution rights go to RLJ Entertainment. Cynthia Mort filled up the role of director-writer and devised the screenplay. The music pieces were composed by Ruy Folguera.

The notable artists in the cast include Zoe Saldana With her undeniable charm, Zoe Saldana has proven >> Read More... as Nina Simone, playing the pivotal role, David Oyelowo as Clifton Henderson, Nayah Kevin Mambo as Gilles, and Ronald Guttman as Henri Edwards. The actors in the movie include Chuma Gault, Mike Epps Michael Elliot Epps also called Michael Epps is a >> Read More... , Keith David Keith Williams was born on 4th June 1956 in New Yo >> Read More... , and Ella Joyce.

Plot

Nina is a biographical account that revolves around the life of a famous music artist, Nina Simone. It attempts to show a glimpse into the life of a great artist after the glorious days of stardom are over. There was a time in Nina’s life when she was the apple of every eye, but now she just rots over her fame. She has turned into a drunkard and an abusive human, tainting her previous image.

Amongst this chaos, Nina hires Clifton to assist her. Over the years, her financial condition has declined, and she has a criminal record. This makes it hard for Nina to stay prevalent in the music industry, and find any work. Clifton tries his best to sort things out for her, but she pushes him away. The action of Nina devastates him and he shifts away, leaving Nina on her own. Some things overwhelm and undermine her worth, and Nina starts doubting herself.

Will she ever get her break again?

What about Clifton?

Watch the movie to find out.

Star Performances

In most movies leading artists always deliver the best, but here a supporting actor takes all the glory. David Oyelowo as Clifton Henderson delivered a phenomenal performance, leaving the audience stunned. His role required sheer efforts to portray a determined, but underestimated man and David didn’t disappoint. His attention to detail for his role is commendable and deserves all the appreciation.

Analysis

Nina is an attempt to recollect the memories of Nina Simone, an exceptional singer, and cherish her legacy. This movie is a biographical account of the life she led and the struggles she faced. Sadly, the film rather ruins her legacy than celebrates it. All the flaws gather up to create a horrific and traumatic experience for the viewers.

The movie heavily faltered when it came to casting the female protagonist, Nina herself. Zoe Saldana is a great actor but the role didn’t compliment her. When a biographical movie is created, the actors are supposed to resemble real-life characters, but Zoe as Nina was disastrous. Also, the storyline lacks clear thought and effort. What should have been a masterpiece with several of Nina’s music pieces seemed like an elaborate song.

What’s There?

• Attempts to give viewers a glimpse into the life of Nina Simone.

• Tries to show the plight of fallen artists and celebrated names.

What’s not There?

• The casting choice went wrong.

• The storyline needed much more structure for the proper execution of the plot.

Verdict

Nina was expected to be an absolute hit, but the movie ruined every expectation the audience had of it. This film makes you wonder about the purpose behind making it. Factors like lousy casting choices and faulty screenplay, ruin this cinematic experience. It is best not to give this film a shot