Nina (2016 film)

Plot

In 1988 Nina Simone is financially unsound, mentally unstable and an alcoholic. Her 1960's heyday is far behind her. After threatening a lawyer with a gun, she is forcibly committed to a Los Angeles psychiatric hospital for twenty-four hours. While in hospital, Nina hires orderly Clifton Henderson (David Oyelowo) as an assistant. He accompanies her back to Bouc-Bel-Air, France.

Nina drinks heavily and refuses to take her medication. She proves to be difficult and confrontational. She verbally abuses Clifton, assaults a patron at a nightclub performance and makes Clifton get her random men with whom she has one-night stands. Her behavior drives Clifton back home to America.

Nina is told by her doctor that the results of her biopsy are serious and she needs treatment.

Nina arrives unannounced at Clifton's family home in Chicago, much to the amusement of his family and his embarrassment. She tells him that she wants him to be her manager. He hesitantly agrees to work for her again.

In France, Clifton begins calling for bookings but no one wants to deal with Nina. His efforts eventually pay off and she performs marvelously at a gig. He gets a studio and she begins recording new music. It is implied that they begin a sexual relationship. Worried about her health, he convinces her to undergo surgery for her cancer.

Once recovered, Nina returns to America for a live performance in Central Park. A crowd flocks to see her and she opens her concert with the song "Feeling Good."

Cast

Production

In May 2010, it was announced Mary J. Blige and David Oyelowo had been cast in the film as Nina Simone, and Clifton Henderson respectively, with Cynthia Mort directing the film from a screenplay she had written, and production planned for September of that year. In August 2012, it was announced that Zoe Saldana had been cast in the film, replacing Blige as Simone, Blige having exited due to financial issues with the project. The casting of Saldana has caused controversy, with Simone Kelly, Simone's daughter, saying “My mother was raised at a time when she was told her nose was too wide, her skin was too dark. Appearance-wise this is not the best choice." In 2014, Mort had begun taking legal action after being cut out of the decision-making process, making her unhappy with the project she spent several years developing.

Filming

Production was originally scheduled to begin in September 2010 in France. Principal photography began on October 16, 2012, in Los Angeles, California. That same month, Saldana was spotted on set in costume as Simone. It was later revealed dark makeup, a prosthetic nose and false teeth had been added to Saldana.

Release

In September 2015, RLJ Entertainment acquired U.S distribution rights to the film with a planned December 2015 release. The film was released on April 22, 2016, in a limited release and through video on demand. Robert L. Johnson the chairman and founder of RLJ gave a statement saying: "Zoe Saldana delivers an exceptional and mesmerizing tribute to Nina Simone, She gave her heart and soul to the role and displayed her extraordinary talent, the most important thing is that creativity or quality of performance should never be judged on the basis of color, or ethnicity, or physical likeness. Quality entertainment should be measured by the sheer force of creativity and the commitment that an actor or actress brings to the performance."

Reception

Nina has received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, as the film currently holds a 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 40 reviews. The Critics' Consensus states, "A wholly misguided tribute to its subject's searing talent and enduring impact, Nina is the cinematic equivalent of a covers project featuring all the wrong artists." On Metacritic, the film holds a 27% rating based on 19 reviews, indicating "Generally unfavorable reviews".