Watch What Happened, Miss Simone? For Free

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This film is pure propaganda. Starting with the accusatory title that blames the victim, this film is the poster-child for the most offensive patriarchal drivel.Nina Simon was a powerful Black woman. Of course they had to make her look crazy. RACISM set the stage and PATRIARCHY literally kicked her in the gut and kept her down and working for the man until the day she died. The first 7 names listed as staring in this documentary are all men. Nina is listed as 14th. This film is not about Nina Simon. It is a propaganda smear of all those who want to keep the legacy of this genius marginal at best. Nina Simon literally had to run for her life (or safety at least) from an intensely abusive husband who punched her in the stomach when she was pregnant, beat her regularly, is quoted saying in the film that one of his beatings was so bad he "taped" her eye himself and never sought medical treatment, and Nina is quoted saying that he "tied me to the bed and rape me"; and who worked her like a slave with no understanding of her as a woman or as a human; and who when Nina fled from him, abandoned their daughter. And although Nina was beaten, raped, overworked, misunderstood, and clearly a frustrated genius trying to survive in a hateful world that was and still is terrified by her power as a Black person and as a woman, and who was not protected by, but rather further and severely abused and exploited by her husband—rather than being jailed for his crimes against Nina Simone—was the director's choice to use in the film to attest to her character. When Nina fled, her husband just left. He abandoned his daughter and yet the film manages to make Nina look like the abuser for fleeing, even though once she was secure in Liberia she sent for her daughter. It is also conspicuous that when she is recorded saying that he was completely impotent and never would touch her or make love to her the directors did not once use the pleading song Sugar in My Bowl in this film.Mostly white men and her abusive husband, and daughter are interviewed. Her daughter is clearly still trying to make sense of an intensely genius and complex mother, who was worked to death, who only became abusive toward her daughter after she was pushed to the brink and had fled for her life, and who came out of a complex, racist, misogynistic and hateful time. It follows suit that this film would be nominated for best doc by an academy that is exclusive and racist, further perpetuating the legacy of white patriarchal racism of keeping any powerful Black human—and in particular, a Black woman—outside its domain. Other than Nina's own words, the only other words that made even an inkling of sense in this film—and they made up only TWO SENTENCES—was by Malcolm X's daughter, Attallah Shabazz who says of Nina Simon: "She was African royalty. How does royalty stomp around in the mud and still do it with grace?"

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)Rating: 3.6/5 stars"What Happened, Miss Simone?" is an often electric, mostly pulsating, well-presented, heartfelt, but at times, too simplistic, unchallenging, and hurried documentary on a great singer's and enigmatic showperson's troubled and complex life. On stage Nina Simone was known for her utterly free, uninhibited musical expression, which enthralled audiences and attracted lifelong fans. But amid the violent, haunting, and senseless day-to-day tribulations of the civil rights era in 1960s America, Simone struggled to reconcile her artistic identity and ambition with her devotion to a movement. Culled from hours of autobiographical tapes and video logs, this documentary unveils the unmitigated ego of a brilliant artist and the absurdities of her life and time.The film overreaches in casting Nina Simone as a standard-bearer against racism and sexism, but, at the same time, it's filled with mesmerizing clips from throughout her performing career as well as numerous interviews of the artist and those closest to her, both through audio and on film. Director Liz Garbus is not just satisfied with recounting a biography; instead she presents to us a very painful journey through the career and motives of an ambivalent woman whose anger always exploded on stage, usually leaving a lump in the audience's throat and rapture in its eyes. Nevertheless, this is an intimate examination of the tragic life of the High Priestess of Soul. It may not answer the burning question: "What Happened, Miss Simone?", but it does tell us why the question must be asked and will be asked for a very long time.

(Rating: ☆☆☆½ out of 4)This film is highly recommended.In brief: A documentary that expertly shows the rise and fall of a gifted performer.GRADE: B+A riveting documentary entitled What Happened, Miss Simone? by Liz Garbus shows the tragedy of a singer-songwriter through her journals, interviews, and rare archival footage.The film covers similar ground as we watch the downward spiral of yet another gifted performer. Talented at a young age and trained as a classical pianist, Nina Simone fought against poverty and prejudice to make her mark in the music industry. Like Ms. Winehouse, Miss Simone was a manic depressive performer on the road to fame and fortune. She too dealt with an abusive family member, her husband and manager Andrew Stroud, had numerous bouts with alcohol and violent mood swings amid her frequent mental disorders. At the peak of her career, her finances were a shamble as was her marriage and she became an advocate for the civil rights movement, although her methods became extremely volatile and radicalized in her later years. This documentary (never distributed in regional movie theaters and available now on Netflix) uses her concert performances and more archival footage from famous celebrities like Hugh Hefner, Dick Gregory, and Stokely Carmichael to narrate Miss Simone's turbulent life. But the most effective interview comes from her daughter Lisa Simone Kelly who narrates the film with a grace and understanding that is genuinely moving. She eloquently reflects back on her life memories about an unhappy home and a mentally ill mother incapable of loving her unconditionally. Ms. Garbus, the director, offers numerous songs from her repertoire that highlight the talented jazz vocalist, but too often the filmmaker sacrifices these vivid live performances and never plays out the entire concert piece which undercuts the essence of Miss Simone legend. (There is a segment with Miss Simone singing Janis Ian's Stars that is so visceral and raw in its brilliance.) There are also some gaps about certain times in her life that would have been more riveting if the filmmaker have been granted more access to the early archives of this singer. Nevertheless, the film tells a gripping story of a woman who found fame and fortune but lost her way to find real happiness.Ms. Garbus' tribute to one of the greatest jazz vocalists is worthy of your attention.Visit my blog at: www.dearmoviegoer.comANY COMMENTS: Please contact me at: [email protected]

"What Happened, Miss Simone?" pulls you right into the life of the little girl, Eunice Waymon, who becomes Nina Simone. Through skillful use of archival audio and film, interviews and other contextual materials, and clearly with a genuine appreciation and love for the subject, Liz Garbus has found the thread that strings all of this material together; the genius and passion of a driven artist. Hearing the familiar songs with their stories, and learning about Nina's life journey, all somehow fits powerfully with contemporary racial issues in the US. This film can serve to educate, and inspire, as we continue to navigate the tortuous path to justice. Thank you for making this film, and bringing Nina Simone to even more people.