‘Tina’ review: Tina Turner gets an HBO documentary tribute that keeps on turning

Last updated Mar 27, 2021

The HBO documentary opens with Turner’s 1981 Individuals publication interview, in which she opened about the abuse she got from her spouse and musical partner, Ike Turner, prior to leaving him 5 years previously. The movie commits approximately the very first hour to that part of her story, that included the prideful Ike showing up with her phase name — born Anna Mae Bullock — without her approval.

At the time, as third-party voices keep in mind, such frank conversation of domestic abuse was uncommon, and Turner’s efforts to put her marital split behind her by speaking up — and later on composing a book — didn’t actually work. Yet it did mark a turning point for her expertly, as she collaborated with supervisor Roger Davies and started a course that saw her filling arenas and arenas, going from Vegas cabaret act to global rock star.

“You gave me this name,” Katori Hall, who composed “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” states in summing up Turner’s mindset towards Ike as she accomplished individual and expert self-reliance. “But watch what I build with it.”

Tina Turner (center) performing in the 1970s, as shown in the HBO documentary 'Tina' (Courtesy of Rhonda Graam/HBO).

Directors Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin discover all sort of magnificent video of the young Tina, dancing with a sense of delight and power that belied the tumult and discomfort she sustained in personal.

“Whatever that is, I want some of that,” states Oprah Winfrey, amongst the lots of admirers spoke with, remembering her very first glance of Turner carrying out. Later on, Winfrey is revealed accompanying a beaming Turner at the musical’s best.

Like HBO’s current Bee Gees documentary, “Tina” concurrently takes the audience back in time while reviving gratitude for the music, essentially making sure anybody familiar with the tunes will be humming a few of them (“Proud Mary” and “I Don’t Wanna Fight,” in this case) days later on.

Amongst the entertaining asides, Turner admits that she disliked “What’s Love Got to Do With It” when she initially heard it, prior to making the anthem her own. There’s likewise audio from her Individuals interview and interviews performed for her autobiography with Kurt Loder, which discover as especially raw and genuine, consisting of memories about overdosing on tablets and her mentally keeping moms and dads.

“Look what I have done in this lifetime with this body,” she states at one point.

Look certainly. Since for the 2 hours committed to “Tina,” it’s hard not to admire her skill and energy all over once again.

“Tina” premieres March 27 at 9 p.m. on HBO, which, like CNN, is a unit of WarnerMedia.

Jobber Wiki author Frank Long contributed to this report.

'Tina' review: Tina Turner gets an HBO documentary tribute that keeps on turning - CNN entertainment