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Winnie

Play trailer Poster for Winnie R Released Oct 5, 2012 1h 44m Biography History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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19% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
The story of South African politician Winnie Mandela (Jennifer Hudson).
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Winnie

Winnie

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Critics Consensus

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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Critics Reviews

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Godfrey Cheshire RogerEbert.com In the end, hers is a journey as complicated and fascinating as that of South Africa itself. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 10, 2013 Full Review Rob Humanick Slant Magazine The film's tonal inconsistencies speak less to the struggles of its titular subject than to its own grasp-exceeding ambitions. Rated: 1.5/4 Sep 6, 2013 Full Review Alonso Duralde TheWrap 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. Sep 6, 2013 Full Review Abbie Bernstein Assignment X Winnie Mandela cuts, pastes and sometimes blurs history. However, what it shows is still worth seeing. Rated: B Jan 25, 2019 Full Review Mae Abdulbaki Punch Drunk Critics It has strong moments and Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard's performances are well-rounded. Rated: 3/5 Aug 14, 2018 Full Review Mark Jackson Epoch Times This saccharine hagiography desires to establish Nelson Mandela's controversial ex-wife as great. It succeeds, somewhat, but boringly, which leaves the truth not served well. Rated: 2/5 Jun 17, 2016 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (35) audience reviews
Audience Member Was ok I thought . Jammed a lot in hour 45. First time seeing anything about her . Quite a story . Good cast Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/17/20 Full Review Audience Member Some good performances from the two lead actors here. I did not know much about Winnie's life story, so this was a good introduction. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member autobiography movie about the story of winnie Mandela. winnie is played by Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard plays nelson Mandela. excellent, excellent movie. very well acted and the storyline very well written. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Not bad, but not great. Needed more authenticity. But my word Terrence Howard's Xhosa accent is terrible in this film. He sounds Italian! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Superior to Long walk to freedom, in essence a love story where something goes terribly wrong. Conditions in SA and specifically in jail much better portrayed in Winnie. Heart warming and terrifying. Watched it three times in 3 days! Much less Hollywood than similar movies on Mandela's life. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member This biopic about the first wife of iconic and legendary South African statesman and apartheid adversary Nelson Mandela, stars Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) as the title character who was raised in a strict, rural upbringing with a schoolteacher father who was disappointed with the fact that she was his sixth daughter. Winnie worked hard to win his approval and when she was of age she moved to the city to pursue medical school -- which was unusual in a sexist, apartheid South Africa. It was here that she met (and almost reluctantly) fell in love with the young political revolutionary Mandela (Terrence Howard - Hustle & Flow) who was already an "enemy" of the white government for believing in equality. The film is rather shaky in that it doesn't really appear to know what it wants to tell us about Winnie and while an Oscar-winner (in a good performance with one STELLAR, knockout scene), Hudson does appear to have a limited acting range. After Nelson is arrested and incarcerated, Winnie also faces some horrible and unjust, inhumane abuses at the hands of the South African government and once she is freed she attempts to carry his mantle but does so with some very questionable actions that have today tainted her legacy. The film perhaps wants to be overly honest but in doing so Winnie doesn't come across as a winning figure for such a biopic. Different time ... different place. She was strong and she was not broken and she did NOT give up. Like her or not -- she was no Nelson -- I wish this movie had been better. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis The story of South African politician Winnie Mandela (Jennifer Hudson).
Director
Darrell James Roodt
Distributor
D Films
Production Co
Ironwood Films, Equinoxe Films
Rating
R (Some Violence|Language)
Genre
Biography, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 5, 2012, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 13, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$61.8K
Runtime
1h 44m
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