Whitney

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2:30

Whitney

R

2018

2h 0m

Documentary

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

163 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Filmmaker Kevin Macdonald examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

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Critics Consensus

Whitney shifts from soaring highs to heartbreaking lows with palpable emotion and grace befitting its singular subject.

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Alessa Dominguez

BuzzFeed News

Apr 5, 2022

Whitney offers a more complex portrait of the family that both aided Houston's rise and contributed to her downfall.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Mar 4, 2020

The tempestuous life and sad death of pop diva Whitney Houston get an exhaustive documentary treatment from British director Kevin Macdonald... doing his best to implicate Houston's family and friends in her downfall.

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Robert Daniels

812filmreviews

Aug 26, 2018

2.5/4

But not unlike the documentary Amy, we confront a young, innocent, bubbly, and energetic woman. And as we progress, we see and hear the degradation of not only Houston, but also her voice.

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Kate Boyle

InSession Film

Mar 8, 2023

B+

I have nothing but love for this film, and I highly recommend it to any of the following: Whitney Houston fans, documentary fans, and anyone interested in pop culture and the life of popstars.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 21, 2022

4/5

Kevin Macdonald manages to make a film that’s both a tribute and a tragic tale of the cost of fame.

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Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

Aug 21, 2021

B+

Isn't afraid to push into the dark history of the Houston family.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Aug 11, 2025

Success in 2 hours even!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Language and Drug Content!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $3,000,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Nicholas M

@RT10624943 Jan 23, 2025

Lazy, depressing, and predictable.

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shane s

@RT74727742 Feb 5, 2023

The music was so well performed and constant. The lead became whitney

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isla s

@RT89656869 Sep 3, 2022

This is a relatively informative film, with contributions by a number of people related to and who otherwise knew the titular person well. It features archival footage and is a generally sad film, for obvious reasons (given her personal life/issues). I felt it handled the subject pretty well - it didn't seem too tacky, in an insensitive way. I imagine fans would appreciate this film and so I'd recommend it, as a thought-provoking film.

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Jul 18, 2022

The truest 02 hours ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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lucero k

@lucero0922 Aug 5, 2020

What a sad story of one of the best singers in the world

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Kevin Macdonald examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Producer: Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Lisa Erspamer
Distributor: Miramax Films, Roadside Attractions
Production Co: Altitude Film Entertainment, Happy Street Entertainment, Lightbox
Rating: R (Language and Drug Content)
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 6, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 2, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.0M
Runtime: 2h 0m

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