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Whitney: Can I Be Me

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Not to be confused with the unrelated 2018 documentary on the same singer, Whitney (2018 film).
Whitney: Can I Be Me
Film Poster
Directed byNick Broomfield
Rudi Dolezal
Written byNick Broomfield
Produced byNick Broomfield
Marc Hoeferlin
Starring
CinematographySam Mitchell
Edited byMarc Hoeferlin
Music byNick Laird-Clowes
Production
companies
Distributed byBBC (UK) (TV)
Showtime Networks (USA) (TV)
Release dates
  • April 24, 2017 (2017-04-24) (Italy)
  • June 16, 2017 (2017-06-16) (UK)
Running time
105 minutes
CountriesUnited States
United Kingdom
LanguagesEnglish
French

Whitney: Can I Be Me is a 2017 British-American documentary film that was written, co-produced by Nick Broomfield and directed by Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal.[1] The film's subject is the life and career of singer Whitney Houston.[2]

Synopsis

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Using Whitney Houston's death on February 11, 2012 as a starting point, the documentary investigates Houston's history and her emotional connections with her family and friends. The film uses archive footage from Houston's 1999 World Tour mixed with testimonies from Houston's family, friends and musicians who worked with her.[3] The documentary gives special attention to her relationships with her mother, father, husband, and daughter and her onetime best friend Robyn Crawford. The film also addresses Houston's history of drug use, including allegations of an overdose in the 1990s.[4] The film touches upon Houston's beginnings as a gospel singer, her discovery by Arista Records's head Clive Davis, and key moments such as the releases of her debut album in 1985 and the film The Bodyguard in 1992.

Cast

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Reception

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On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 87% based on 67 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Whitney: Can I Be Me offers a sobering inside look at the tragic downfall of a brilliant performer, even as it leaves the audience yearning for deeper insight."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Unflinching Whitney Houston film was the therapy a grieving, damaged family needed". Los Angeles Times. 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Miami Beach resident tackles tough subject in new Whitney Houston documentary". www.local10.com. 25 August 2017. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. ^ McGovern, Joe (April 25, 2017). "Whitney Houston: Can I Be Me documentary directors open up about the film". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  4. ^ Leight, Elias (August 25, 2017). "Whitney Houston Doc 'Can I Be Me': 8 Things We Learned". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  5. ^ "WHITNEY: CAN I BE ME (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 26 November 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Whitney: Can I Be Me 2017". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
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