Daughter of a legend. Rising superstar. Proud mother and wife. Natalie Cole seemed to have it all, but a recurring addiction to drugs and hidden grief took her from the top of the charts to the depths of despair. In this powerful and authorized story of her life, Natalie shares her inspiring journey back, and the enduring spirit of the man who led the way -- her beloved father. Directed by Robert Townsend.
Reader Reviews
Natalie Cole's story, which was based on her best-selling autobiography, comes to vivid life on screen. Like Ms. Cole's book, this movie pulls no punches about the seemingly fairytale life she had as a child to her bouts with drugs, her rise to fame as a singing star, her family life, only for it to all come crashing down due to her addiction--and her amazing comeback due to the one thing she was running away from all her life: acknowledging the legacy of her father, the legendary pop/jazz artist, Nat "King" Cole, who had died a tragic death from lung cancer at the age of 45. At the time of his death, Natalie had just turned 15, and has said that his death was something she never got over, but never had the chance to grieve, which eventually led her to drugs. That, and the need to be daring and experimental. But she explains that it wasn't until the mid-80s when she was in rehab for the second time that she realized this. Bottom line was, she missed her father tremendously.Diahann Carroll is fantastic as Maria Cole, Natalie's strict disciplinarian mother, and James McDaniel captures the gentle and understanding man that Nat Cole was perfectly, even though his role is not a large one. The two young actresses who play Natalie as a child are enchanting, and Theresa Randle as the young adult Natalie pulls out all the stops for a Emmy-deserving performance.
One of the most touching and true scenes in the movie is when Natalie, playing herself, has to break the news to her young son right before a concert that his father has passed away, then she goes on stage and dedicates her hit song "Our Love" to her former husband. The emotion is very real, and you can tell that Natalie was reliving the pain she must've felt then. Also at the very end of the film, you see real footage of Natalie singing the smash "Unforgettable" with Nat on video at the 1992 Grammy awards. Another heart-touching moment. It also shows the ups and downs of the music industry and how certain situations are handled and overcome. A phenomenal story. Highly recommended! Now if only we can bring Nat's story to the screen....
