Since her death in 2012 there have been a handful of documentaries and different accounts popping up all attempting to tell Whitney’s story, but to be honest none of them have done anything for me. They either make her life seem ‘meh’, or present her as an awful drug addict.
I love Whitney a hell of a lot, so for
me badly made documentaries don’t change my opinion of her, but for those that
are either not familiar with her, her life or work they don’t seem to make the
best impression.
Kevin MacDonald also has a go a this, and does her life and
body of work some justice and attempts to make the world realise that you can
never stop learning about someone’s life even if the film industry appears to
have rinsed anyone and everyone of all the information they have.
This film hooked me in right from the beginning because of
how much detail was paid to the editing. Throughout the film we are given a bit
of an idea what era we are in by there being a montage almost of Whitney’s most
popular music at that time mushed in with a series of flickering political
events. It was such a perfect contrast and made you really think about the
great escape Whitney created for her fans.
The film then works chronologically and doesn’t just go from baby, to star, to dead star like other portrayals seem to have done before this. We get an idea of what her childhood was like, then we grow up with her, so to speak – throughout this film. Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mother) doesn’t seem to be someone you see being interviewed a lot, (well at least I don’t think I have and I have gone to some deep, dark corners of the internet when it comes to Whitney) but hearing her side of things really brought such a personal element to this film and tied things together as best as could be done for this type of production. We also heard accounts from other family members such as Whitney’s brothers – Gary and Michael, her sister in law – Pat, and close friends. As well as this we get a brief appearance from ex-husband, rapper, Bobbi Brown.
The film then works chronologically and doesn’t just go from baby, to star, to dead star like other portrayals seem to have done before this. We get an idea of what her childhood was like, then we grow up with her, so to speak – throughout this film. Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mother) doesn’t seem to be someone you see being interviewed a lot, (well at least I don’t think I have and I have gone to some deep, dark corners of the internet when it comes to Whitney) but hearing her side of things really brought such a personal element to this film and tied things together as best as could be done for this type of production. We also heard accounts from other family members such as Whitney’s brothers – Gary and Michael, her sister in law – Pat, and close friends. As well as this we get a brief appearance from ex-husband, rapper, Bobbi Brown.
There are some parts of this film that just created goose
bumps all over my body. For starters, the sound is fantastic – that’s a given,
it’s Whitney Houston. Second, in some of the accounts from her family members
you learn much more about her drug habit and how this began, and progressed –
well at least I did. And finally, you get to the time surrounding her death
which just gets me personally every time.
It really is a touching, heart-warming, upsetting, brave, considerate, and respectful piece of film.
Whether you are a Whitney fan or not, you should give this a go – I mean I took a friend who half forgot that she had died and they enjoyed it, so if that’s not giving credit I don’t know what is.
6.5/10
CINEMATES - S
It really is a touching, heart-warming, upsetting, brave, considerate, and respectful piece of film.
Whether you are a Whitney fan or not, you should give this a go – I mean I took a friend who half forgot that she had died and they enjoyed it, so if that’s not giving credit I don’t know what is.
6.5/10
CINEMATES - S
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