Winnie Mandela (2011) User Reviews

Watching it after the death of Tata Madiba

[illbadlover8787 · 7/10 · 12 December 2013]

It is a week since the death of Mandela that I decided to have a marathon of all things biographical of the great man. I started with Winnie and was not disappointed but was not all that thrilled. If you are looking for something to match Richard Attenborough's 'Cry Freedom' perhaps this is not one, but it sure makes a good start. I'd hoped it would match Luc Besson's 'The Lady', in its execution I guess it does but not so much on the script. Everything is only lightly and briefly touched; Winnie's childhood, her time in Jan Hofmeyer School, her courtship with Madiba, her struggle while incarcerated.

This movie does not really talk about the struggles of the couple and little light is shed on Winnie's role as a mother and her contribution within the family unit itself. If anything the movie a great reminder that behind a great man, there is always that crazy woman who makes sure all is taken care of.

One scene that makes most impact on me personally is the time when the policemen raided her house after the wedding and ruined the piece of wedding cake she had saved. Nothing is introduced on the reason why the piece is saved; whether this is customary or for any sentimental value.

Yet 7/10 must be given solely for the spectacular performances of the actors, each bringing great life to the, otherwise flat, story. The makeup team had done an amazing job trying to match both Jennifer Hudson's and Terrence Howard's appearances to match the figures they are portraying. Hat's off to the production team.

Winnie gave world recognition to apartheid

[Nzinga19 · 7/10 · 4 January 2014]

After watching movie Winnie Madikizela Mandela, I wondered how much Winnie, the main character, narrated on this movie about herself. Winnie was referred to as the Mother of the Nation, she was statues and beautiful, very intelligent and warrior spirited. Yet so much was left out about her diplomacy, about how she traveled around the world from country to country to gain world support for the release of her husband Nelson Mandela. The greatness of the woman was laminated to half her greatness in this movie. I remember when Winnie came to United States to meet to appeal the world be aware of apartheid and unjust imprisonment of many South Africans under apartheid. People were naming their children after Winnie and Nelson because of her image, which I must mention was distained. The population of South Africa including Nelson are under the influence of apartheid also Stokholm AND Helsinki syndromes.

Winnie Mandela seems to cover the facts of the activist's life, but Hudson and company never embody the figures they portray.

[Amari-Sali · 6/10 · 30 November 2013]

Since I'll eventually see Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, I figured it was worth seeing this film which got talked about since the actual Winnie disapproved of it, but after it was released, not a word was said. Now, I can understand why the real life Winnie didn't approve of it, not just because at times they don't portray her favorably, but at the same time, between Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard, despite the accents, prosthetics, and things of that nature, you don't really get the type of experience most biopics give you.

Characters & Story

The main focus of the movie is what Winnie (played by Jennifer Hudson) did as Nelson Mandela (played by Terrence Howard) was locked away for decades. Outside of that, we also see her upbringing, a romantic subplot dealing with Winnie and Nelson's courtship, the struggles of living in apartheid in South Africa, then Winnie's turn into an almost head of a mob known as Mandela's United Football Club. Each aforementioned time in Winnie's life feels like a chapter which, once shut, leads us to a new Winnie who evolves from a girl trying to be the son her father wanted, to a woman who seems like a revolutionary who lost control of her soldiers.

Praise

Honestly, the only thing I found worth praising was getting to see, what I assume, is South African culture. Being that I have never been to the country, nor watch many programs from the nation, it was nice to see different views of Africa, and hear of the story of their civil rights movement. But, if you strip away the culture, the cities and landscape, as well as the music, then you have a film which may rely on agreed upon facts, but lacks real emotion.

Criticism

Biopics, over the years, have become one of my favorite genres when it comes to movies. Though an embellished portrait, it allows people who weren't aware, or didn't live during the times of the biopic, to have a chance to relive moments and the lives of figures who are either in their golden years or have passed on. But, with Winnie Mandela, there was no heart or soul to make me believe Hudson or Howard represented their respective figures. Yes, they have the accents, wore the clothing and gave the speeches, but you never got lost in their performances.

In a way, I almost felt like they were dialing it in. Or better yet, it was a role which had prestige and could generate interest, so Howard and Hudson took it, and never really did the research and spent the time to become the two iconic persona they were to portray. Because of that, their performances both ring empty and remind you that acting cannot just be playing pretend, knowing your lines, and crying on cue. It has to be an art form in which the viewer gets lost in your performance, and not simply lost because they don't believe you can perform.

Overall: Skip It

Though informative, to a point, Winnie Mandela very much screams a westernized portrait of an African figure. It feels superficial in every way possible. From the courtship of Winnie and Nelson, to the rise of Winnie as a political figure, to the fall of her marriage and her political life, everything feels like there were contracts signed, the checks were already cashed, and a movie which had to be produced. Leading me to say this is a movie to skip. Though the overall idea of Winnie Mandela is interesting, the film lacks any proper execution outside of the culture, and since they filmed in South Africa, it would have been hard to screw that up. Everything else though makes me feel that, after Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the book this film is based on needs to be re- adapted and if there is non-South African involvement, it solely comes from financing.

A disappointing attempt to capture a significant episode of world history

[davidschatzky · 17 September 2011]

I viewed this at the Toronto International Film Festival where it premiered without a final soundtrack and with the end credits missing. But that's not what's important. Sadly, Winnie bites off more than it can chew due to weak, amateurish writing and clichéd action scenes, choppy story-telling and most of all, the casting of Jennifer Hudson, who is embarrassingly over her head as the love of Mandela's life. The larger historical,political and cultural context of this epic tale is missing, and although the basic 'facts' are there, it comes across as lifeless, wooden, artificial and often cloyingly sentimental. There are some bad choices in the story-telling in the interest of Hollywoodizing the saga for audiences who may not be knowledgeable about South African history or realities. Terrence Howard tries hard against the challenges of a lousy script and heavy-handed direction, and ages brilliantly as Mandela. He can't, single-handedly, save the film, so at the moment, the entire project feels as if it's headed straight to DVD.

The key problem with this movie

[benbana222 · 6/10 · 18 November 2013]

I am presently watching this movie at the moment. I must say I am extremely surprised at the flawed costuming of this project. This is a movie chronicling the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a woman who was born in 1936. Yet from the very start of the movie(which starts at her birth), you notice immediately that they lost it on the costumes they used as they do not depict the kind and quality of clothing worn in a 1936 South African village. For one the clothing used are really really bright and very 2011 fashionable. Regarding the styling, you can clearly tell that they probably could not produce them that way back then. They also look too bright and flashy much like modern apparel. In certain scenes you see that the ties worn by the guards or police officers looking really modern day and therefore really makes you struggle to believe the events were actually occurring when the acting tells you they were. Talk about the wedding dress used in Winnie's wedding, it just looks out of place time-wise. So even though the acting is good, I feel that the strength of the acting was much suppressed by this flaw. It really would have been better if they had down toned the colors a bit but unfortunately they did not.

winnie mandela

[soilanisereka · 6/10 · 10 December 2014]

Basically the movie talks about South Africa which was one of the very last countries to get its independence in Africa .We get to understand how much South Africans suffered during the apartheid regime and what the leaders and other citizens went through before they finally became self ruled, the discrimination of Africans in their own country and not to mention the bloodshed during this times. This is a very touching movie full of sorrows and tears but not forgetting the comic part of it as seen in the early stages. It's very hilarious in its kind, full of romance and a lot of suspense especially in the middle .It is also very emotional, breathtaking and very educative. The movie talks about the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (Jennifer Hudson), from her strict rural upbringing by a father disappointed she was not born a boy, to her giving up the chance to study in America in order to remain in South Africa where she felt more needed, through her husband Nelson Mandela's (Terrence Howard) imprisonment. She then faces continuous harassment by the security police, banishment to a small Free State town, betrayal by friends and allies, and more than a year in solitary confinement. Upon her release, she continues her husband's activism against apartheid and, after his release from prison, suffers divorce due to her infidelity and political pressure.The main character is Jennifer Hudson who is referred as Winnie Madikizela Mandela. I find her to be a very strong woman who will always fight for what she thinks is right. She is that woman who will go to that extend without fear of what people will think about her or what people say about her. She fought anyone she considered was a threat to her and what she has been fighting for. She did a very good job as she teaches women to be strong no matter the problems of day to day life and that no one should give up without a fight. She was very courageous and she took up the role very good. The second character is Terence Howard who plays the role of Nelson Mandela .His character was very well portrayed as that fighter who will sacrifice everything he had just for the freedom of his people .Even though he was very strong at the beginning I found him to be so down at the end of the movie since he did not become what everyone expected him to be, he brings out his soft part and that not how we expect those people fighting for us to be…even though his role came out quite well I think I would love to see the strong part of him. Hlomla Dandala also known as Oliver Tambo is the other character in the movie and he plays a role of a good friend to Mandela. He did a very good job since he tried so hard to stand by his friend and he also got himself in a boiling soup fighting against the white regime as he was also got imprisoned .He played his role very well. The most things I liked about the movie was the fact that it made me as a reader understand South Africa much better during the start and at the end of apartheid regime. It all made sure that it targeted both the age groups without discriminating any. I liked when Winnie decided she would continue with the struggle even after the arrest of her husband. I didn't like it when Mandela decided to divorce Winnie as seen in the last scene of the movies as I thought that woman really struggled during his absence and no matter what she did she was supposed to be forgiven since it was not easy for her for Mandela was arrested when she was still very young. I also didn't like it when Winnie decided to take laws in her hands and decided to kill anyone who was against ANC by that time and who could not follow what she wanted as seen in the last third scene of the movie. The movie teaches us that; 1. No matter how hard some things look if you continue to put more effort then you will surely succeed in one way or another. 2. It also shows the strength of a woman by explaining that what a man can do a woman can still do the same thing 3. It also states that you should fight for what you believe in no matter how hard it is to get what you want. 4. we should also not use violence for violence since dialogue is and will always be the way out Anyone can watch this movie since it has targeted all age groups from the young to the old and even the romance part of it does not hinder the children from watching and so I consider it as a family movie.

In other hand I think this movie is much of a TV movie and no part of Winnie Mandela biography. According to my views someone biography should be written or said in a way that it becomes history even after that person is long gone as it should make that person be remembered in one way or the other. This movie has represented Winnie's bad side since it criticizes her too much which should not be part of biography.

Even though I felt the movie was quite interesting to watch I also feel it could have done much better for its rating is not that good considering its main actors are two very well known people not to mention its producer TD JAKES who is a well known Christian evangelist and the Christian denomination would have loved to see better than what he produced .I will rate the movie at 2/5 since I expected better than this as the title really moved me to want to know what it was all about.

Very Sad Attempt

[alexthewriter · 3/10 · 16 June 2012]

I saw this movie at TIFF and thought it was a very sad attempt to tell a very important story. Winnie Mandela herself is often a character that is larger than life, and the events surrounding Nelson Mandela's trials and incarcerations always deserve respect in how they're presented.

Instead, this movie was choppy and disjointed and just a collection of hollow and pointless scenes, strung together with little reason or coherence. There is not much depth to any one scene, as if the director couldn't decide what to concentrate on and whose story it really was. Because of this, everything came across as empty and woefully underdeveloped. When dealing with a story as broad-reaching as Mandela's importance and impact with the anti-apartheid movement, you need to pick one point of view and stick with that; this director was all over the map, so that nothing was fleshed out properly.

The acting, save for Terrence Howard, was embarrassingly stiff and disjointed. Jennifer Hudson never let you forget that she was just acting, that these lines were written for her by someone else. I would wonder if she did any research before shooting and really understood what someone like Winnie Mandela would go through, and what it would be like to have a flawed personality that wasn't always angelic and heroic. While her Oscar for Dreamgirls was well-earned, I would hesitate to actually call her a real actress with range and presence. She was definitely in over her head here.

All in all, it was very unfulfilling and seemed to serve no purpose. It's no wonder that it has yet to be released in theatres or even to DVD, which, considering the amount of story that can be told about the Mandela family, is an inexcusable failure.

A gripping film

[rps-2 · 9/10 · 6 September 2013]

I was surprised at the negative tone of other reviews. I thought this was an excellent piece of work --- acting --- production --- accuracy. I wondered whether it was going to glamourize Mandella with an unrealistically positive spin. But no, it does a good job of illustrating the unfortunate turn her life took in the later years of the South African struggle. She ended up as a vindictive,foul mouthed, autocratic drunk. But you understand how that came to be after her long ordeal, which was powerfully portrayed. I also was surprised to find that this was largely a Canadian production. It had none of the pretentious unoriginality that marks so many Canadian films, especially those done for Canadian cable television. It was believable, watchable and informative!

uninspired and uninspiring

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 10 August 2014]

Winnie Mandela (Jennifer Hudson) is the sixth daughter to a disappointed father hoping for a son. She tries to prove her worth chaffing at the paternalistic culture. Her father is the son of the chief and a ground breaking teacher. She studies to be a social worker and excels. She is fascinated by Nelson Mandela (Terrence Howard) and catches his eye. They are soon married but they are always hounded by the cruel De Vries (Elias Koteas). Mary Botha (Wendy Crewson) hires her despite the troubles and becomes her supporter.

This is such a bland uninteresting biopic. With such an amazing complicated subject, this has no intensity. It has no life. The story has been simplified into a paint-by-number biopic. It's as if it's boiled down to highlights of a compelling life. It uses way too many montages. Terrence Howard is especially hamstrung by the script while Jennifer Hudson takes a backward step with her performance. Elias Koteas is a great actor but the movie appears to suggest that all of Mandela's problems stem from an over-zealous persecutor. Winnie is one of the most compelling characters in our modern history and this treats it all like a melodrama. I'm left a little uncertain about Hudson's skills after this. However I put most of it down to a bad script.

A Captivating Film

[michelle-790-777622 · 10/10 · 13 September 2013]

Upon entering the theater I knew that I was coming to see a 2 hour movie which in no way, shape or form could capture every epic detail and nuance (historical and personal) over a 50 year period of Winnie Mandela's life story. What amazes me is the amount of negative criticism and unrealistic expectations that this film has received. Those types of lofty goals could only be accomplished in an 8 part miniseries not a 2 hour film.

Keeping an open mind, I sat down not knowing what to expect. What I received was the privilege of witnessing a captivating film with outstanding performances. Ms. Hudson pleasantly surprises with her depth of character as Winnie Mandela (not the smirks, attitude and singing which won her an Oscar in Dreamgirls)... she was able to go there. Furthermore, I appreciate the fact that the film does not attempt to "sugarcoat" Winnie's journey. Mr. Howard was a brilliant choice to portray Nelson Mandela... he possessed both the strength and elegance of the icon. Supporting cast performances were also excellent.

As the credits rolled the audience sat quietly almost as if glued to their seats. After the final credit rolled my experience was summed up by a fellow audience member who stood, stretched and said... WOW! I walked away from that theater in astonishment... they actually pulled it off! I see Oscar nods for both Howard and Hudson and possibly Mr. Koteas. The only thing working against this film and possible nominations is that it is not part of the "Hollywood Machine" which force feeds movies, reviews and awards. I truly hope that this lovely film does not fall victim to the "Hollywood Monster" lurking over it. Disregard the reviews... go see this movie, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Like her or not, this movie should have been better

[twilliams76 · 4/10 · 27 March 2014]

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 how it wants to portray 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. 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. She is quite polarizing and the "hero tone" the film presents is rather conflicting. This could possibly all be intentional on the filmmaker's part.

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 -- but I wish this movie had been better.

If you only know the story of Nelson Mandela then you only know half the story. More movies should be made about this woman.

[cosmo_tiger · 8/10 · 26 November 2013]

"She spent nearly 500 days in prison, 400 of them alone in solitary. She was exiled, they harassed her, they nearly killed her. Her contribution to the struggle is beyond calculation." This movie follows the life of Winnie (Hudson) from birth to her life with husband Nelson Mandela (Howard) and beyond. It shows her transformation from shy student to activist. I hate to admit it but I knew next to nothing about this woman before I started the movie. For that reason going in my first thought was, why make a movie about her when Nelson is much more interesting. After watching this my thoughts changed to why don't they make more movies about her. I'm not sure how accurate this movie is but I found it to be very interesting and really made me feel for her. Seeing a woman who was shy and had her life ahead of her end up being broken by seeing the way her life was affected by her husbands sentence gives you conflicting emotions. On one hand you want her to do the things she is doing while at the same time you know she should stop. The end of the movie is so bittersweet that it's hard to feel happy about what happened. The only really bad thing I have to say about this is that it really had the feel of a Lifetime movie. Overall, my feelings went from why a movie about her to why aren't there more movies about her. I highly recommend this. I give it an A-.

This movie does a great job of proving that Winnie Mandela is . . .

[tadpole-596-918256 · 8/10 · 9 September 2013]

. . . the Lady Macbeth of South Africa. The trajectory for heroes is that they start out sinners like Saul of Tarsus and transform themselves into people such as Saint Paul. The Benedict Arnolds of infamy, on the other hand, begin lives of privilege and when the going gets a tad rough, they mutate into evil, self-centered cancers on humanity. This film, WINNIE MANDELA, perfectly captures her transformation from the one-time girl stick fighter champ into a chunky boozing adulteress with a lust for cheap sex and a penchant to enjoy sadistic "neck tie" parties involving her having trusting young orphan boys burned alive. No one can prove there actually is a Hell, or say whether Winnie deserves to be there forever, or just for 10,000 years. But as crispy critter Stompi Seipei's surviving sisters might point out, at least Hitler had the decency to kill his victims BEFORE burning them.

Great!

[notekskils · 10/10 · 5 January 2014]

Great historical drama! When i first saw that Terrence Howard and Jennifer Hudson were playing the lead roles i was doubtful that they could pull off a creditable performance. Boy was i wrong! From what i know of the actual Mandela story, seeing how i have been following the real story since the apartheid protests began in the 60's, i would say that both Howard and Hudson channeled both Mandela and Winnie!! my only regret is the movie did not receive the acclaim that it deserved! I thought that Hudson did a great job in her acting debut in Dreamgirls. However, i thought that her performance in Winnie was far better! In Dreamgirls she(Hudson) was nominated for an academy award yet no mention for her excellent performance in Winnie!!

STRIKE A WOMAN AND YOU STRIKE A ROCK

[nogodnomasters · 9/10 · 28 July 2018]

This is an interesting film which shows the complexity of the character of Winnie Mandela. Once Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Winnie took over the movement, crossing the line and doing things, for better or worse, that Nelson wouldn't dare do. One can debate if her militant stance helped or hurt the liberation of South Africa, but it was after decades of peaceful measures failing that lead to a more radical approach.

The film contains the expected grand speeches, self sacrifice, tear jerking moments with appropriate sound track. It leaves criticism of Winnie up to the audience. I felt the acting, which was good, needed to be taken up a notch as it seemed to lack a degree of expected passion. There also seems to be a disconnect between the effect of the movement, world pressure, and the decision to free Mandela and end apartheid which would normally climax a film. Even as the film was about her, these events which she dedicated her life to should have been better presented.

Worth viewing.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. No sex or nudity.

Most Inspiring - Best Actress

[sisterlinda-83450 · 10/10 · 1 February 2022]

I have a new found respect for Jennifer Hudson in watching her in this role. I truly got lost in her performance and found myself in that space and time. A tremendous review of passion and integrity; the fight to stand under the most perilous torture. The film covers her joy, plight, struggles and captures the greatness of this woman.

Great movie for historical context, heart of women, strength in purpose we all can have in life. Thank you Jennifer for your tremendous performance.

Very fine movie, good complement to the Nelson Mandela story.

[TxMike · 24 June 2014]

Winnie and Nelson Mandela were key figures in the struggle in South Africa to abolish apartheid and gain freedom for all races, during the approximate 30+ years in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, which culminated in Nelson Mandela being elected President in the 1994 multiracial elections.

In the more recent movie "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" we see much about Nelson's young life, upbringing, and his imprisonment after being convicted of terrorist activities. In that movie Winnie has an important role, but still secondary.

In this movie, "Winnie Mandela", the emphasis is reversed. We see much of Nelson but the emphasis is on Winnie. Her early work as a nurse, her marriage to Nelson, and her gross mistreatment by the white officials, imprisoned for 16 months on suspicion alone and without a trial, and much of that in solitary confinement. They tried to break her spirit, to renounce the fight for freedom, but she never broke.

When she got out she was hardened, and also influenced by the Sharpeville massacre in 1960 where white police shot and killed many black demonstrators, and many of those were shot in the back as they attempted to flee. So she and her supporters took a very hard line, gradually drifting away from the ideals of nonviolent freedom that Nelson espoused.

There is no question, Winnie Mandela and her children were badly mistreated by the white South African government. And there is no doubt that her fervor played an important role in eventually getting Nelson freed and the government to abolish apartheid. But she was also branded as a criminal, and when Nelson became President it had to be without Winnie at his side.

Very good movie about a complex and influential black woman. Jennifer Hudson is just superb in the title role as Winnie Mandela, and she sings the song played in the closing credits. Also superb is Terrence Howard as Nelson Mandela. Good as the white villain is Elias Koteas as De Vries, the man with dogged determination to break Winnie, but was never able to.

Phenomenal Movie

[alethea-98018 · 10/10 · 9 January 2024]

Wonderful movie that captures the story of the daily battle of Winnie Mandela during the Apartheid Struggle! Not to be Missed! The movie delves into the Day to Day struggle of the battle that Winnie Mandela faced in truly being the backbone behind the ANC and her husband Nelson Mandela before and after his imprisonment. It highlights the plight of both Winnie Mandela, Nelson Mandela and their Children as well as other Members of the ANC Fighting for freedom. It documents what they experienced as a family as well as being thr frontrunners in bringing Democracy to South Africa and their Major Important Rolrs in the ANC!

Masterpiece

[speedandshinemc · 10/10 · 9 January 2024]

Apartheid-era South Africa was a time of abuse and persecution by the white minority onto the black majority. The black South Africans were looked down upon and segregated at every turn. Any instance of fighting back was a sign of terrorism and treason. This film, Catch a Fire, is based on the true-life story of Patrick Chamusso whose life was turned upside. A man who was apolitical and loving to his family, Chamusso was unaccounted for during a span of time in which the oil refinery he worked at was bombed. As a top suspect he was arrested and tortured, along with his wife to try and make him comply, before finally being released. Patrick did nothing wrong-at least as far as arson goes, the missing time was due to infidelity-and as a result of being accused and beaten decided to do something his people could be proud of and try to stop the persecution.