Whitney
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Rated: R
2018 is proving to be a fantastic year for theatrical documentaries. Just last week, I was impressed by Won't You Be My Neighbor? detailing the life and legacy of Mr. Rodgers. This week, I'm here to to sing the praises of Whitney.
Whitney takes us through the life of Whitney Houston from childhood to her meteoric rise to fame. Director Kevin Macdonald chronicles the life of the American icon through interviews with her family and friends and includes never before seen footage of Whitney Houston. Macdonald tackles a wide range of topics that were major factors in Whitney's life including the pressures of fame, childhood trauma, drug abuse, and unstable relationships. These topics are never spoken of in a way that exploits Whitney, but in a way that helps shed light on her life and explain her untimely death.
The film is not all dark. There are so many moments where we get to see Whitney shine. It's a fact that she had one of the greatest voices of all time and she truly loved singing. She became an American icon because of her voice. People everywhere loved Whitney. Whether it was her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, or I Will Always Love You: everyone has a favorite Whitney Houston performance.
There's an interesting dichotomy that takes place throughout the film between Whitney and her "true self." At a young age, her father gave her the nickname, "Nippy." Her family and friends began calling her that while she was known to the public as "Whitney." In various behind the scenes footage, she refers to her stage presence as "Whitney", but to herself as "Nippy." It's a fascinating look at how she would turn on the star persona for the audience, but just be "Nippy" for the people who knew her best.
The best part of this documentary is the incredible editing by Sam Rice-Edwards. Major moments of Whitney's life are intercut with montages of political events, pop culture iconography, and popular commercials. This is a brilliant creative choice because it reflects what was happening in the world when Whitney released a specific song. On a deeper level these clips are symbolic of what Whitney was feeling at the time. The "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" montage is a kaleidoscope of colors, showing off all of the shiny promises the 80's have to offer her. Her star was rising.
Whitney is an emotional, compelling, and eye opening look at an icon whose music will live on forever.
My Rating: 9/10