What's Love Got To Do With It? (1993)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lucas M

  
  A powerful and shocking portrayal of the book "I, Tina", that bring a terrific acting of Bassett and Fishburne. Fresh.

• Anthony L

  
  I'm always a bit weary of biopics like this as you can never tell what is true and what is favourable fiction. That said, this is certainly not sugar-coated, it's quite brutal and quite brave, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were both brilliant and deserve more credit… More
  I'm always a bit weary of biopics like this as you can never tell what is true and what is favourable fiction. That said, this is certainly not sugar-coated, it's quite brutal and quite brave, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were both brilliant and deserve more credit for their performances.

• Lady D

  
  The life story of Tina Turner, from her rise to fame with Husband Ike Turner, to the domestic abuse she suffered and the courage of the woman who reinvented herself and became a star in her own right. Angela Bassett lives and breaths Tina Turner in her interpretation of the… More
  The life story of Tina Turner, from her rise to fame with Husband Ike Turner, to the domestic abuse she suffered and the courage of the woman who reinvented herself and became a star in her own right. Angela Bassett lives and breaths Tina Turner in her interpretation of the well-known singer. Larry Fishburne was so unlikable, he played his part well.

• Keysha H

  
  Fantastic film about a triumphing woman! And so quotable.."I don't want the cake Ike!"

• Candy R

  
  Excellent portrayal of Tina's life and career. It's sad that she suffered so much domestic violence.

• Tim S

  
  One of the hardest movies to watch ever. Physical abuse is a hard subject to flesh out and man, did they flesh it out.

• Alec B

  
  I'm just glad its essentially a straightforward biopic that doesn't try to create or heighten some type of existential crisis (see "Ray" or "Walk the Line") beyond the realm of probability. The vulnerability in the lead performances of Bassett and… More
  I'm just glad its essentially a straightforward biopic that doesn't try to create or heighten some type of existential crisis (see "Ray" or "Walk the Line") beyond the realm of probability. The vulnerability in the lead performances of Bassett and Fisburne does allow the film to retain a sense of realism that is helpful in trying to convey how destructive this relationship was.

• Brian R

  
  A great film and two great performances from Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne as Ike & Tina Turner. "What's Love Got to Do With It?" is simply flawless.

• David S

  
  One of the first music biopics to come along and it started the trend for good actors looking for Oscar glory. This could have been a standard TV movie experience if not for the great performances of Bassett and Fishburne. They and the music make this compelling viewing and it always… More
  One of the first music biopics to come along and it started the trend for good actors looking for Oscar glory. This could have been a standard TV movie experience if not for the great performances of Bassett and Fishburne. They and the music make this compelling viewing and it always makes you cheer when Tina fights back in the end. Go girl!

• John A

  
  'What's Love Got To Do With It?' is one of the best musical biopics I've seen. No other captures the sheer energy that radiates from performance, or unravels such a hauntingly realistic display of a singer's personal life. Every musical number is directed so… More
  'What's Love Got To Do With It?' is one of the best musical biopics I've seen. No other captures the sheer energy that radiates from performance, or unravels such a hauntingly realistic display of a singer's personal life. Every musical number is directed so we feel we are watching it live, and the personal life of Tina Turner is so harrowing it's almost an invasion of privacy to witness such shocking acts occur behind closed doors. Anna Mae Bullock was a timid but determined girl from Tennessee, abandoned and cared for in the middle of nowhere. After a reunion with her estranged mother and sister in her late teens she met the cool and charismatic Ike Turner; he recognised her talent and took her under his wing as a tutor, and later a lover. But as her fame grew so did his jealousy, and her rise to stardom is paralleled with a spiralling case of domestic abuse. She watches people stand by as she is beaten, and those she love turn against her. As Turner, Angela Bassett is phenomenal. She may be lip-synching for the majority of the musical numbers, but it never prevents her from being Tina Turner in every possible way; on stage her movements are loud and flamboyant, and watching her transformation from an awkward and shy girl to a confident and strong-willed woman who overcomes major trauma to end up a success is astonishing. I don't knock Holly Hunter's performance in 'The Piano' at all - she was brilliant - but the Oscar should have gone to Bassett. I've never seen Laurence Fishburne act quite like this either; as Ike he never falls into the cliched trap of an 'evil husband', but is a man torn apart by jealousy, hurts those he loves and ends up on a bitter path of self-destruction. 'Whats Love Got To Do With It?' finds the perfect balance between drama and music. The stage sequences are full of kinetic energy and dazzling spectacle, and never feels over-done. It is then perfectly juxtaposed onto a backdrop of violence and hatred that forms the foundations of Ike and Tina's marriage; like many battered wives she initally makes excuses, blames herself and goes back to Ike time and time again. It lasts longer than it should have. In public he embarrasses her, then makes her seem hysterical. Only through the discovery of Buddhism does Tina begin to find the strength to stand up to him, and fight back. It is both gut-wrenching and inspiring to see her final escape; the scene lasts less than a minute, but makes for one of the film's most powerful and enduring moments. In the divorce court, Tina gave up rights to all royalties, publishing rights, investements, all in essence hers anyway. All she wanted was her name. And now, everyone knows the name. This film lets you appreciate the name. 'What's Love Got To Do With It?' is a bold, sensitive and compelling film, never doubting it's leading lady, never manipulating audience response. We watch the drama unfurl, and react accordingly. I have never been a fan of Tina Turner's music, although I suppose I have always sub-consciously admired her work. But now I would gladly listen, because I know the pain it cost, and the undeniable effort that was poured into it. For her music, she gave her soul.

• Lee K

  
  an incredible acting performance from larry fishburne

• Miriam K

  
  Some great performances...

Read all 12 featured audience ratings