Whitney

Informative, emotive and at times shockingly revelatory documentary about the very talented, but ultimately tragic singer. This superior doc is so much more than a talking heads expose bringing into focus the times and the people surrounding the star. Director Kevin Macdonald has done well to ensure that the film is logically edited to maximise impact on Whitney's rise and fall leaving us with at least one sure thing for which she will always be remembered: That rich and beautiful voice.

It looks like 2018 is a documentary summer with one about Supreme court Justice Ginsberg, another about children’s host Fred Rogers, this past week one telling the story of Whitney Houston and this coming Friday the story of triplets separated at birth that discover each other 19 years later. I, generally, don’t go to see a documentary film in the theatre but due to ‘improvements’ being made to my apartment I’ve had to get out a few hours and what better way, whether hot and humid or raining, than going to a a/c movie theatre!?! I admired Whitney Houston’s voice, though at times I felt she was screaming too much and after hearing “I Will Always Love You” for the 4th million time (you couldn’t escape it!) I sort of tuned her out. In “Whitney” we hear from/about her brothers, mother, father, relatives plus several from the music and movie industry as the documentary director Kevin Macdonald sort of tilts the story to get the audience to feel sorry for this woman who had everything and lost it all, an old entertainment story. On one side it is said, and shown, to have had an idyllic childhood while on the other hand At one point Houston signed a $100 million contract only a few years later having to make a movie because she was broke. How much her marriage to Bobby Brown was related to her drugs problems, though it seems she started to go grass and cocaine at 16, is sort of dismissed because he was jealous of her and though not proven it seems one of her aunts sexually abused her when she was a child plus she had a long affair with her best friend and assistant Robyn Crawford. Whitney Houston is seen hitting bottom and she does just as we see her at the height of her success and she shows what made her a major talent. “Whitney” is a must see for her true fans and a wait until it is on television for others.

If you are a Whitney Houston fan, this biographical film is a must-see. It tells the story of her life and family in great detail and covers “controversial” issues, including a lesbian friend and the possibility she was abused as a child. It also makes some attempt to show when she lived in America, but not how she might have been affected by what was going on in the country at the time. There is no narration and very little musical context, but I have to praise the makers of the film for their diligence in assembling her story in such detail. I knew very little about WH before seeing this film, so I was not bored, but I also missed getting any real insight into the artist or the person.

I am giving a rating of three stars just out of spite, just to tell the racist, America hating blacks in America to go screw themselves, even though I like Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston has an incredible story, oft times tragic and inspiring. Quite like Johnny Cash, Whitney never stopped loving Jesus and never stopped struggling with being on the right path. It gave me great sorrow to see that she was just starting to find her way back, find redemption when she died. How terrible for her that she experienced racism.... For not being black enough from other blacks. That's messed up. It would have been nice if her family had just left her story the hell alone, and just let it be about Whitney Houston and her success. But They just couldn't let the story of Whitney Houston and her success as a woman go without inserting anti-america and anti-white messages. Seriously, f#@k these people that hate this country, that can't stop being angry for one second! If you can't even celebrate a country that fought FOR the freedom of Whitney Houston to be successful! Then the Black culture is evil by and large. Oh but they're happy to take the money that they earn in this country, entitled snobs. This family verbalizes essentially the only time America should be celebrated is if a black woman or a black man is successful. That is not only racist, that is ultimately demeaning to the Hispanics, to the Chinese, to the Irish, to the Founding Fathers! To all of the people that helped to build this great country! And I reject that communist Marxist anti-American message. Meanwhile this family pretty much stole Whitney Houston's money to feed their own lazy asses, coddled her in her drug use, and failed to protect her and her child from Bobby Brown. Seriously, this family is worse than garbage for criticizing * White America* while they systematically helped ruin Whitney Houston. And just for that, I am giving their darling movie about their darling idol only three stars. It's so sad. I didn't want to. I just wanted to hear about Whitney houston. But the narcissists just couldn't keep their trap shut about their victimhood. There's a reason why the Black culture is not successful, and they need to look in the mirror.

Whitney doesn't celebrate her music. It shows how messed up she really was and makes you not like her and support her.