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What Happened, Miss Simone? is a compelling -- albeit necessarily incomplete -- overview of its complex subject's singular artistic legacy and fascinating life.
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All Critics (45) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (5)
What Miss Simone does have going for it is its unique access to extremely rare material, some of it never seen publicly before. Jul 24, 2018 | Full Review…
What Miss Simone does have going for it is its unique access to extremely rare material, some of it never seen publicly before.
Leslie Felperin
We may now have jarring insights into the mother, the activist and the tortured soul at the root of Simone's career, but it's the legendary songstress who ultimately shines through. Oct 27, 2017 | Rating: B | Full Review…
We may now have jarring insights into the mother, the activist and the tortured soul at the root of Simone's career, but it's the legendary songstress who ultimately shines through.
Anisha Jhaveri
More omissive than impressionistic. Jul 17, 2015 | Full Review…
More omissive than impressionistic.
Wesley Morris
I think the film overreaches in casting Simone as a standard-bearer against racism and sexism, but it's filled with mesmerizing clips from throughout her performing career as well as numerous interviews with Simone, both audio and on film. Jun 26, 2015 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…
I think the film overreaches in casting Simone as a standard-bearer against racism and sexism, but it's filled with mesmerizing clips from throughout her performing career as well as numerous interviews with Simone, both audio and on film.
Peter Rainer
As music and cultural critic Stanley Crouch says, "You only have to hear her once. No one sounds like her except her." Jun 25, 2015 | Full Review…
As music and cultural critic Stanley Crouch says, "You only have to hear her once. No one sounds like her except her."
Kenneth Turan
It may not answer What Happened, Miss Simone?, but it does tell us why the question must be asked and will be asked, for a very long time. Jun 24, 2015 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
It may not answer What Happened, Miss Simone?, but it does tell us why the question must be asked and will be asked, for a very long time.
David Wiegand
I wish the film included even more of [Nina] Simone's music. The interviews are all first-rate and thorough, even as the interviewees, like [Andrew] Stroud and [Al] Schackman, seem to have opposing viewpoints. Mar 8, 2019 | Full Review…
I wish the film included even more of [Nina] Simone's music. The interviews are all first-rate and thorough, even as the interviewees, like [Andrew] Stroud and [Al] Schackman, seem to have opposing viewpoints.
Ren Jender
With this film, Nina Simone - the woman and the artist - finally gets the veneration she so richly deserves. Dec 7, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
With this film, Nina Simone - the woman and the artist - finally gets the veneration she so richly deserves.
Di Golding
Structurally and content-wise it's near perfect: the film cleverly opens on a thematising visual anecdote before taking us back to the beginning of Simone's life. Nov 10, 2018 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Structurally and content-wise it's near perfect: the film cleverly opens on a thematising visual anecdote before taking us back to the beginning of Simone's life.
PJ Nabarro
I had some problems with What Happened, Miss Simone? but still found it worthwhile, mainly due to the inclusion of rare archival footage that I had never seen before. Aug 24, 2018 | Full Review…
I had some problems with What Happened, Miss Simone? but still found it worthwhile, mainly due to the inclusion of rare archival footage that I had never seen before.
Lindsay Pugh
Garbus's documentary is a celebration of Simone's legacy, but it also takes a reasonably unflinching approach to her faults... the real joy here is the music, and the archival footage of Simone doing what she did best: singing, playing piano, performing. Jul 24, 2018 | Full Review…
Garbus's documentary is a celebration of Simone's legacy, but it also takes a reasonably unflinching approach to her faults... the real joy here is the music, and the archival footage of Simone doing what she did best: singing, playing piano, performing.
Mike Hogan
Though it is doubtful that [Nina] Simone, were she still alive, would be much impressed with [Kanye] West's music - she once said that she didn't like rap at 'all' - she might recognise in him a fellow spirit. Sep 12, 2017 | Full Review…
Though it is doubtful that [Nina] Simone, were she still alive, would be much impressed with [Kanye] West's music - she once said that she didn't like rap at 'all' - she might recognise in him a fellow spirit.
Anwen Crawford
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