Synopsis
Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.
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Cast
- Whitney HoustonSelf (archive footage)
- Bobby BrownSelf - Ex-Husband
- Cissy HoustonSelf - Mother
- Clive DavisSelf - Founder, Arista Records
- L.A. ReidSelf - CEO and President, Arista Records 2000-2004
- Kevin CostnerSelf - Actor
- Dionne WarwickSelf - Whitney's Cousin (archive footage)
- Bobbi Kristina BrownSelf (archive footage)
- Nelson MandelaSelf (archive footage)
- Marvin GayeSelf (archive footage)
Recommendations
- 88
The Seattle Times
It’s hard to watch young Whitney, knowing what lies ahead, but it seems important to do as the film does: take a moment, and just listen to her sing. - 83
The Playlist
Stripping the “I Will Always Love You,” singer away from sensationalist tabloid dirt that marred her life, MacDonald’s thoughtfulness is arguably its standout element. The finesse with which he crafts his doc makes for, quite simply, an absorbing and moving portrayal of an unforgettable heartrending figure. - 83
The A.V. Club
Whitney herself remains a figure of some mystery, her rise and fall refracting the hopes and anxieties of the people around her, with a tragic echo in the death of her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, in 2015. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
It's a riveting narrative, and even those not among Houston's more passionate fan base will find it an emotionally wrenching experience. - 80
Variety
Macdonald’s multi-faceted portrait of Houston allows us to touch the intertwined forces that did her in. - 75
Washington Post
Although Whitney follows a familiar structure, Macdonald infuses it with artful editorial choices, marking the chapters of Houston’s life with brief but vivid montages of the times in which she lived. - 70
Screen Daily
Whitney is strongest when it connects Houston to the larger history of Black America, illustrating how this glamorous performer grew up in poverty and never entirely escaped the obligation of helping to pull up her underprivileged family members. - 60
The Telegraph
The film is oddly unmoving as a memorial, but as with Amy Winehouse, it inspires a collective mea culpa for the feeding frenzy of public judgement that only turned to sympathy when it was far too late.
