SummaryThe story of Nola Darling's simultaneous sexual relationships with three different men is told by her and by her partners and other friends. All three men wanted her to commit solely to them; Nola resists being "owned" by a single partner.
Directed By:Spike Lee
Written By:Spike Lee, Zora Neale Hurston
She's Gotta Have It
Metascore
Generally Favorable
79
User score
Generally Favorable
6.7
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
79
82% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
18% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
90
Made for less than $30,000, Lee's first feature poses him as a rival to Woody Allen, nearly equaling him in psychological authenticity, perhaps bettering him in virtuosity and sheer creative glee.
88
Lee’s first film statement conveys the communal experience.
83
From the jump, She's Gotta Have It announced that it wasn't going to define black life in terms of crime and poverty, just as it wasn't going to bind independent filmmaking to moribund realism.
80
She's Gotta Have It is Spike Lee's impressive first feature, discursive, jazzy, vibrant with sex and funny as heck. [22 Aug 1986, p.D1]
75
Featuring an all-black cast, this little film is a revelation, primarily because it provides black faces with the most natural dialogue they've had in years. She`s Gotta Have It is neither a crime story nor a heavy message movie, and the conversations in it are therefore free of the shackles of most minority-oriented stories.
70
These people are not victims of blind forces; they make choices, defend them and grow in understanding, not always happily, as a result. Their story would be more enjoyable in a more polished film, but it has a power that is not dissipated by this one's weaknesses.
60
Although the film's small budget and tight shooting schedule (lensed in 15 days on Super 16mm) is betrayed by sloppy editing, unpolished sound and an occasional flat performance, particularly Johns in the lead role, She's Gotta Have It still bursts with the energy and technical command that have quickly established Lee as a major force in American cinema.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.7
68% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
21% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Aug 20, 2020
8
This mockumentary about a freelance artist and her tangled relationship with her three lovers is part of director Spike Lee's humble beginnings. The balance between romance and comedy pleases, especially because of the jazz background music. For a rainy afternoon or night.
Apr 27, 2019
5
I liked its "mockumentary" style at first, its vivid and bold direction, the acting in general, and a couple of moments and few scenes scattered throughout the movie. Other than that, I think that Spike Lee's directorial debut isn't half as good as it's important and interesting. It's approach to the story is blatantly heavy-handed, it has tons of dull, repetitive and self-indulgent moments, a lot of pacing issues, a predictable ending, and the three main male characters are quite perfunctory and skin-deep. (5.5/10)
Production Company:
- 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
- The New York State Council of the Arts
- New York Foundation for the Arts
- The Jerome Foundation
- Brooklyn Arts Cultural Association (BACA)
- Black Filmmakers Foundation
Release Date:Aug 8, 1986
Duration:1 h 24 m
Rating:R
Tagline:A Seriously Sexy Comedy
Awards
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Cannes Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
