I love documentaries. Of all the different film genres, documentaries are my favorite. As a storyteller myself, I enjoy learning the intricacies of someone’s story. When I started seeing promos for the new Tina Turner documentary on HBO Max, I was excited. Tina Turner is a superstar whose name is synonymous with legendary. Understanding Tina’s longevity, I knew that I was in for a treat when Tina was released. I watched half of the film last night and the other half this morning at 5 a.m. Starting my day with Tina was a decision I can now say I was proud to make.

Tina was raw, captivating, and kept me on the edge of my seat as I watched Tina Turner beautifully unpack her own life and layers. After watching the film, many thoughts ran through my mind; unfortunately, no one was awake to share them with, so I decided to share my thoughts here.

Tina’s Natural Talents

One of my biggest takeaways from the beginning of the film was how naturally talented Tina was. Throughout the film, it became clear to me that Tina loved what she did and was authentically herself while performing. In her day, there weren’t many women like her, especially women of color, that were creating the kind of music Tina was. Instead of letting the lack of representation bring her down, Tina stayed true to her talent and believed in herself until the very end. I found that to be inspiring how even after her divorce, when no one wanted to work with her, she picked herself up by the bootstraps and kept believing in herself.

The Duality of Ike Turner

From the first act of the documentary, I kept trying to find the humanity in Ike Turner. Of course, I was slightly aware of Ike and Tina’s tumultuous relationship, but the documentary made it clear. As I heard the horror stories that Tina recounted, I couldn’t help but think somewhere inside Ike was a broken little boy who never healed his childhood wounds. In one scene in the doc, where Tina discussed how Ike was insecure and nervous about speaking to people, I saw that broken little boy in the flesh.

I appreciated how this film articulated the villain that was Ike Turner but made sure to speak on forgiveness. When Tina lamented how she felt that Ike was sick and how she was grateful for how Ike helped her get her career started, I thought she was very classy and mature. The documentary could have painted him as this awful, abusive person, solely, but to mention his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and how Tina forgave him after his death was humanizing and relatable.

Seeing their relationship play out in the documentary showed me firsthand how someone can be essential to the beginning of a professional career but brutally devastating to personal well-being. I do my best to understand humans’ complexities and dualities, and seeing Ike & Tina’s union was a real-life example of how complicated people and relationships can be.

The Dislike of “What’s Love Got To Do With It”

If you asked me to name three Tina Turner songs, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” would be the top of my list, as I think many would agree this is her most famous song. I was shocked to hear how Tina didn’t like the song when she first heard it or seem too fond of it at all. Hearing her discuss the song, I couldn’t help but think of Kanye West when he shared he didn’t care much for his Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit, “Gold Digger,” and how Nicki Minaj isn’t a big fan of “Starships” one of her most popular songs. It’s interesting how artists see and criticize their work compared to how the general public receives it.

The Incessant Interview Questions about Ike

I’m still processing how Tina was incessantly asked about her relationship with Ike post their divorce. It was sad learning how Tina was stuck in the shadow of her past life. While some might think this is an issue of thinly disguised misogyny, shockingly, her story reminded me of Chris Brown. I remember when Chris Brown kept trying to move on from his 2009 fiasco with Rihanna. It’s awful how celebrities have private struggles that overtake their professional success and potential. Every time an interviewer asked Tina about Ike, and I saw the look on her face, I felt for Tina and was rooting for her. Again, Tina displayed how classy she is by always handling it so well and authentically.

The Beyoncé Similarities

Growing up with a sheltered upbringing, I don’t recall my parents listening to much Tina Turner. My first memory of Tina was What’s Love Got to Do With It, the 1993 biopic starring Angela Bassett. I recall people often jokingly reciting Ike’s “eat the cake Anna Mae” line. But to say I was even familiar with Tina Turner’s music or performances would be an overstatement. Of course, as a millennial, I’ve grown up in the Beyoncé era. I vividly remember Beyoncé honoring Tina Turner at the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors and their duet performance at the 2008 Grammys. Watching the Tina documentary and witnessing Tina’s live performances and costumes, I can see where Beyoncé has received inspiration.

The exact floating stairs prop that Tina Turner uses during “Nutbush City Limits” looks pretty similar to the stairs Beyoncé used during her live performance of “Drunk in Love” at Coachella. I also felt that Beyoncé’s black leather-and-lace 2013 Super Bowl costume looks like a clear homage to what Tina wore back in 1979. From the performances to costumes to hairstyles, I could see where Beyoncé draws inspiration—seeing the similarities between the two bridged the gap for me and forced me to love Tina Turner even more.

Room for Improvements

I am by no means a film critic, just a Black man with an opinion and a blog. As much as I enjoyed the doc, I felt there were a few missed opportunities to make the film stronger. First, I wanted more from Tina’s childhood. I had never heard of Nutbush, Tennessee. The film ran past her childhood with her parents too quickly for me. I also would have enjoyed seeing more of her inspiration behind her new sound, post-Ike. Career pivots are incredibly challenging.

I would have enjoyed hearing just a little more about the two-weeks where she and her team produced her comeback record, Private Dancer. In this new age of collective consciousness, I was also taken aback by the barrage of white men in the movie and the absence of Black women. I think Katori Hall was the only strong Black female voice I heard from throughout the film. The touch and flavor that a Black female filmmaker could have brought to the documentary would have made it better.

Conclusion

I learned so much about one of the greatest rock stars of all time by watching the Tina documentary. After watching the film, I can say that I appreciate and respect Tina even more. The raw and authentic storytelling of Tina was illuminating and powerful. I commend Tina and the filmmakers for having the courage to share this complex story. If you haven’t already I, highly suggest streaming Tina on HBOMax and watching it with a friend. I can say with confidence that if the movie moves you half as much as it moved me, you are in for a treat.

Running time: 2 hours.
Where to watch: HBO Max