Review of What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) by Joel R — 07 Jul 2015

I was mesmerized by this documentary. I expected a typical biographical accounting of her life. I am ashamed to admit that I really did not know a whole lot about her apart from some songs I knew. She was much more than a singer.

She was by all accounts a force to be reckoned with. What would her life have been like if she lived today? Her life was shaped by the world she lived in and she chose or was moved to speak out and stand up against oppressive forces.

Would she have had to work so hard in today's world? Would she have chosen safer paths? Would modern medicine and diagnoses have allowed her to cope with life's pressures better? What is undeniable is that she was talented beyond words.

This documentary makes me want to know more about who she was beyond the songs.