27 February 2020
All About Nina (2018)
Indie dramedy All About Nina is not just about stand-up comics and their struggle – there’s a lot of emotional, real-life stuff going on here.
The cast is pretty sweet for an indie – big-screen actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, musician-actor Common, Chace Crawford, Jay Mohr, Camryn Manheim and Beau Bridges are just some of the stars you’ll know from somewhere.
Now down to the fun: Nina (Mary Elizabeth) moves to NYC and sees her career and life turned on their head. First, she’s got to make it in the notoriously difficult New York comedy scene and that’s nigh impossible on a good day. Then she meets divorcee Rafe (Common) and he really is a great guy, giving her the space and time she needs – and he’s not going anywhere, giving her a great foundation to work on her comedy without worrying about her home life, which has always been an emotional rollercoaster for Nina.
You may not be a comic, but you’ll recognise your own issues watching it, writes variety.com’s Peter Debruge: “A striking and at times uncomfortably personal feature debut from writer-director Eva Vives that makes good on its title by not shying away from the emotional damage that makes its protagonist so compelling.”
SA celebs open up about divorce on Untied
The action heats up on Empini
More Mzansi gold

10 South African true-crime series, ranked
From The ABC Killer to Tracking Thabo Bester, these true-crime documentary series explore some of the darkest and most audacious acts – all available to stream on Showmax.

Must-watch trailer: upcoming Showmax reality show Vaal Riviera
Watch the explosive trailer for Vaal Riviera, a reality series following four families from the Vaal Triangle. Premiering 22 August on Showmax.

Christopher Reeve documentary on Showmax get four Emmy nods
South African producer Robert Ford discusses his Emmy-nominated documentary, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which premieres on Showmax on Friday, 25 July 2025.

Shaka iLembe’s Dawn Thandeka King on Untied
Dawn Thandeka King opens up about her spiritual journey, motherhood and marriage in Untied, now streaming on Showmax. Catch new episodes every Tuesday.