What's Love Got to Do with It?

Despite plenty of destructive behavior, the ultimate message of the film is strongly positive: Women must protect themselves and their children from abusive spousal behavior. It takes great courage and perserverance to get out of a complicated interdependent relationship, but the end result is positive and life-affirming. The Buddhist precept, "If you look in life's mirror and see yourself clearly, you can change anything," is a mantra used repeatedly to great advantage.

Frequent use of coarse, sexual language, usually  uttered in anger and with the intent to insult and degrade.  Many forms of "f--k," including "motherf--k," "s--t," "ass," "Goddamn," and numerous instances of racial slurs, including the "N" word.

Continuous drinking and smoking throughout. Characters hold bottles of beer, shots, mixed drinks and cigarettes or cigars in clubs, at parties, during musical recording sessions, relaxing at home, et al. Cocaine abuse is seen to add fuel to Ike Turner's increasingly violent and erratic behavior. Tina Turner attempts suicide using pills.