BAFTA-winning documentarian Nick Broomfield and music video director Rudi Dolezal trace the forces that contributed to Whitney Houston's shortened career.
Whether...
BAFTA-winning documentarian Nick Broomfield and music video director Rudi Dolezal trace the forces that contributed to Whitney Houston's shortened career.
Whether it be racism, religion, drugs, sexuality, self-doubt, gossip, rivalry, insufficient training, the demands of parents and the industry, a troubled marriage playing out in headlines, or the inevitable toll those stresses take from so muscular and passionate a singer, the directors leave nothing unturned. They create a picture of a remarkable woman who needed more help than she received and provide a wholly committed exploration of talent given and taken away, in an era obsessed with how that talent lives when the stage lights go down.
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Where to watch Whitney: Can I Be Me
87 %77 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
63 %412 reviewsAudience score rating
15+Age suitabilityChildren & Media rating
"Still probably best known over a decade later as the controversial documentary director of Kurt & Courtney and Biggie & Tupac, Nick Broomfield finds himself on seemingly familiar turf (alongside co-director Rudi Dolezal) with this look inside the turbulent, tragically short life of Whitney Houston."
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Flicks
Flicks"Although it offers an astute analysis of how Clive Davis tailored Houston's sound and image to appeal to a white audience ... the film doesn't use enough of Houston's music."
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Village Voice
Village Voice""Whitney: 'Can I Be Me'" has no conspiracies to uncover. It just has a story to tell, and it does that incredibly compellingly."
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Variety
Variety"A heartbreaking watch."
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Stuff
Stuff"Whitney 'Can I Be Me' delivers yet another tragic lesson in the toxic mix of fame and talent and children: it should be required viewing for all those who seek to follow this diva's path to fame and fortune."
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Screen Daily
Screen Daily"Hits some of the high notes, but, by missing the more personal touches, also somehow manages to put a few beats wrong."
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Newsroom
Newsroom"The film’s main triumph is in crafting a convincing narrative with a clear point of view."
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IndieWire
IndieWire"Heavy on glib generalizations but light on sharp insights or juicy revelations."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood ReporterWhitney: Can I Be Me | Details
- Rating
- 15, strong language, drug references
- Runtime
- 100
- Genre
- Documentary, Music
- Country of origin
- USA, UK
