Director: Kevin MacDonald
By Alex Watson
We have seen the plight of the supremely talented female singer in documentaries before, but Kevin MacDonald's Whitney packs a heavy emotional punch. Bursting onto the scene in the late 80's, Whitney Houston seemed destined for a long prosperous career. This movie goes deep and shows that underneath the powerful Ballard's lay a deeply troubled soul whose descent into drug and alcohol addiction broke many hearts worldwide.
Starting with the bright and bouncy sounds of 'How Will I Know' the early part of Whitney pops with colour. Few singers have become such a sensation in a short period of time and MacDonald expertly captures the euphoria that surrounded Houston's early career. Her music is set against images of events such as the Gulf War and her beginnings in music were a particularly patriotic time for the nation. Her belting rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1991 SuperBowl still gives us goosebumps and we tend to forget how her country embraced her as an All-American symbol. While there is a light and breezy feel which demonstrates the early optimism and confidence of Houston, MacDonald is unafraid to delve into the dark depths of her past which reveal telltales signs of the problems that would eventually take her life.
Houston's childhood on the surface seems like a perfectly fine and loving one. Nicknamed 'Nippy' by her family, she was raised in urban New Jersey in a big and musically gifted family. Her mother was R&B singer Cissy Houston and her cousin was Dionne Warwick. Along with being an avid churchgoer and talented choir singer- it seems almost like a blueprint for fame. However, as the lid gets gradually lifted it reveals a very troubled family. Her parents divorced amidst multiple affairs on both sides. One of her siblings hints at sexual abuse by a female relative and both her brother Gary and Michael openly confess to providing their sister with her first experience of drugs. Her father John also comes across negatively and appears as a puppetmaster type figure more interested in his daughter's earnings than her own wellbeing. Then we come to the notorious and often blamed husband Bobby Brown. A big star upon their first meeting and then super quick marriage, his jealousy at his descent and her rise in fame seemed to spark a furious internal rage. Soon he becomes more her enabler and dealer than loving, supportive figure. Whitney's dedication to their increasingly ridiculed and disastrous marriage is genuinely heartbreaking.
Her starring role in the 'The Bodyguard' along with her monstrously successful song 'I Will Always Love You' pushed her 'into the stratosphere'. It was also when the cracks start to appear in her once perfect image. Her family at this point all seemed to be along for the ride and combined they would push her towards her tragic demise. There is a heavy sense of denial on all sides throughout Whitney and it appears no-one thought to register or notice the demons on display. Even Arista head honcho Antonia 'LA' Reid denies all knowledge. MacDonald shows us a star slowly breaking apart in the slowest and saddest way possible. Soon Houston beings missing shows and when stories of her drug addiction surface, no amount of damage control can save her. Her inebriated interview with Diane Sawyer was particularly harmful. Daughter Bobbi Cristina Brown was the one who took the brunt of the fallout during this time. Neglected by both her parents, any of the talking heads concede that this young lady never stood a chance (Bobbi Cristina would die less than a year after her mother).
The decline of her once powerful voice robs Houston of her sense of purpose and seeing clips from her shambolic final tour are cringing. There was only one way this kind of downward trajectory could end and MacDonald gives it to us in the most crushing way possible. During the movie's opening sequence, we get a glimpse of what is to come. In an interview, Houston talks about a recurring dream where she is being chased "When I wake, I'm always exhausted." This quote alone will set the tone of a woman who was always running from her demons but never able to confront them.
Whitney is a movie that reminds us of what a huge talent has been lost to the world. Kevin MacDonald takes a well-known figure and presents her in a light that was never thought possible. One of the strongest documentaries 2018 will offer.
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