Winnie Mandela (2013)
Average Rating: 4.3/10
Reviews Counted: 34
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 29
Winnie Mandela takes few chances and delves only superficially into its subject's life, making it feel more like a too-earnest made-for-TV movie than a proper biopic.
Average Rating: 4.3/10
Critic Reviews: 14
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 12
Winnie Mandela takes few chances and delves only superficially into its subject's life, making it feel more like a too-earnest made-for-TV movie than a proper biopic.
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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 1,942
Movie Info
Starring Academy Award (R) winner Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) and Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), WINNIE MANDELA is an epic story of love, sacrifice and courage. Moving from a remote tribal village to the sprawling metropolis of Johannesburg, South Africa, a proud young Winnie (Jennifer Hudson) soon found love with a rising political star, Nelson Mandela (Terrence Howard). When Nelson was imprisoned for protesting the brutal Apartheid government, Winnie worked tirelessly
Cast
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Jennifer Hudson
Winnie Madikizela-Ma... -
Terrence Howard
Nelson Mandela -
Elias Koteas
DeVries -
Wendy Crewson
Mary Botha -
Aubrey Poo
Peter Magubane -
Unathi Kapela
Winnie (12 & 13) -
Fezeka Ndlazilwana
Nancy (8) -
Talitha Ndima
Nancy (19 20 28 & 30... -
Professor Mavuso
Columbus Madikizela -
Nomsa Xaba
Makhulu -
Bongi Mbongwe
Gertrude -
James Alexander
BBC Reporter -
Tom Fairfoot
BBC Reporter -
Jonathan Rands
Judge De Wet -
Jennifer Rebelo
School Inspector #1 -
Lionel Newton
School Inspector #2 -
Angelique Pretorius
Marcia -
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Letisha Signh
Harriet -
Hlomla Dandala
Oliver Tambo -
Jonathan Taylor
Professor Phillips -
Leleti Khumalo
Adelaide Tambo -
Yule Masiteng
Nelson's Boxing Trai... -
Pieter Brandt
Justice de Wet -
Carel Trichardt
Justice de Wet -
Nanhla Mlilo
Zeni -
Zinhle Mabena
Zindzi -
Ashley Taylor
Maj Prinsloo -
Neil Sandilands
Dr. Hattingh -
Antoinette Louw
Mrs. Hattingh -
Abel Ndebele
Stompie -
Damon Berry
Rev. Verryn -
Fezile Mpela
Cyril Ramaposa -
Deon Lotz
F.W. DeKlerk -
Carel Trichadt
Justice de Wet -
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Winnie Mandela Trailer & Photos
All Critics (34) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (29)
It would have benefited the film if Roodt had been as bold with the mechanics of his storytelling as he is with his inclusion of the title character's less savory moments. But its strengths, particularly the two lead performances, far outweigh its flaws.
Top Critic"Winnie Mandela'' really stumbles when it comes to depicting the couple's painful separation, which the film suggests resulted more from politics than Winnie's infidelity.
Despite the marquee names and their obvious talent, the film feels like a made-for-TV movie.
Distant and obvious, it takes a story with many angles and reduces its edges, becoming a glorified TV movie.
Winnie Mandela is a simplistic look at a complex figure.
Ms. Hudson's frequent and distracting costume changes are a sign of deeper problems in a movie that wants to be all things to all people, especially women.
The end credits song's beautifully delivered, full-throttle emotional bombast only serves as a dismaying reminder of how much the film otherwise lacks any similar passion and soul.
The audacity and determination of its subject doesn't find its way into this shallow and superficial biopic.
This biopic is part hagiography, part expose, and gravely incoherent.
In the end, hers is a journey as complicated and fascinating as that of South Africa itself.
Though Winnie Mandela is a more-than-serviceable classroom recounting of events, it fails to reach much higher than that, and deals with identity issues when deciding whether to challenge your views or simply glorify real-life events.
Sometimes it can be strangely said that it's a miracle when a certain film even exists, warts and all. So let's cut to the chase, and what really matters in this immensely important movie. Not the least which is, 'Strike a woman, and you strike a rock.'
A warts-and-all biopic which focuses on its subject's childhood, college days and marriage while making short shrift of her transition into a war criminal.
The film's tonal inconsistencies speak less to the struggles of its titular subject than to its own grasp-exceeding ambitions.
Biopic is well acted but uneven and violent.
Affecting biographical drama about the controversial anti-apartheid crusader, wife of fellow South African racial-equality advocate Nelson Mandela.
'Winnie' is no masterpiece, but not nearly as bad as the early reviews.
From the swelling melody on the soundtrack that opens the film to the Wind Beneath My Wings-like ballad that closes it, Winnie Mandela ... feels less like history come alive than Hollywood hagiography at its most blandly sentimental.
ultimately too earnest for its own good
Audience Reviews for Winnie Mandela
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| Is Aubrey Poo an actual actor?!? | 29 days ago | 7 |
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