Review: 'Winnie Mandela', Starring Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard

We all know the story of Nelson Mandela. A peaceful activist who fought for equality, justice, and equal opportunity, his efforts and imprisonment are known the world over. What the world may not know as well is the story of Winnie, Mandela’s former wife and a powerhouse in her own right. Winnie Mandela paints the picture of a woman whose strength and adversity keeps her going through trying times as she faces the apartheid in South Africa.  

Winnie Mandela (Jennifer Hudson) is the sixth girl in a long line of girls. So disappointed that she isn’t born a boy, Winnie tries her hardest to constantly please her father and be the son he never had. Growing up in a traditional tribe, Winnie receives a good education and is eventually accepted into a college for girls in Johannesburg where she studies to become a social worker. It’s there that Winnie is introduced to Nelson Mandela (Terrence Howard) at an organized protest. At this point, director Darrell Roodt jumps back and forth between what’s going on in Winnie’s life and in Nelson’s.

The film briefly touches on a little bit of their love story before jumping right into the action that surrounds their lives from the moment they meet. The movie creates a timeline that jumps every few years and can be a little distracting because we only get a little taste of everything rather than the whole meal. There’s definitely a lot that happens in Winnie’s life and is probably very difficult to fit into one movie, but certain scenes in the film could have added a little more depth and focus.

In the beginning it immediately seems like Winnie’s story is going to be overshadowed by that of Nelson Mandela’s, but it's when he’s imprisoned that her story really begins. She becomes the face of the African National Congress and stages peaceful protests and speaks out against apartheid. In doing so, she attracts the attention of Colonel de Vries (Elias Koteas) the man who wouldn't rest until he put her husband in jail years earlier. Winnie eventually deals with eight months of solitary confinement, banishment, and threats later in life. She is affectionately called the mother of the nation until she is accused of allowing the murder of a young boy shortly before her husband is released.

Jennifer Hudson really sells it in this film. There are a couple of very powerful scenes in the film and she plays them well. The scenes of her in solitary confinement especially stand out in which she portrays a lonely, hopeless, and delusional Winnie, yet her strength never wavers. Terrence Howard also gives a good performance, though his role throughout the second act of the film is limited. He emerges near the end looking the most like the Mandela we know today.

The film plays out more like a TV movie than that of serious theatrical release. It’s a bit overly dramatic, though a couple of scenes might move you emotionally. There unfortunately isn’t enough backstory or insight into Winnie’s thought process or the reasons she allows certain events to occur later in her life. The most telling aspects of the film are in the letters she writes to her husband, and these are few and far between.

The film tries so hard to include everything about Winnie Mandela’s life that it never gets the chance to flourish and evolve. It remains self-contained and the execution and drama play out like a made-for-TV-movie. It has strong moments and Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard's performances are well-rounded. Ultimately though, Winnie Mandela is a film best watched from the comfort of your couch.