IMDb RATING
6.8/10
5.1K
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Tells the story of Whitney Houston's extraordinary life and tragic death.Tells the story of Whitney Houston's extraordinary life and tragic death.Tells the story of Whitney Houston's extraordinary life and tragic death.
- Awards
- 1 win & 3 nominations
Whitney Houston
- Self
- (archive footage)
John Russell Houston Jr.
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (as John Houston)
Ellin Lavar
- Self - Friend and Stylist
- (archive footage)
- (voice)
Robyn Crawford
- Self - Whitney's Closest Confidant
- (archive footage)
Clive Davis
- Self - Chairman and CEO, Arista Records
- (archive footage)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMuch of the footage in this documentary stems from backstage film shot during Whitney Houston's 1999 tour by Nick Broomfield's co-director, Rudi Dolezal. All the interviews with Houston's friends and family date from that time as they all refused to co-operate with Broomfield. Dolezal had over 100 hours of footage to draw from.
- Quotes
Whitney Houston: I want people to remember me just being a real nice person.
- ConnectionsReferenced in The Andrew Klavan Show: Is MAGA Over? (2017)
Featured review
Cracked at the top
Nick Broomfield tends to make controversial documentaries. He usually turns up with a camera and a boom mike and ensures chaos unfolds.
Whitney: Can I Be Me is a departure from Broomfield's usual documentary style. Using archive footage as well as interviewing some people who worked or were close to Whitney we see a person who came up from gospel singing and crossed over to pop and made it big in the USA and around the world.
In 1992 when she got an acting role in The Bodyguard, her profile went to the stratosphere. The film was a commercial hit, the songs became best sellers. Whitney's cover of I Will Always Love You has become an enduring hit.
Yet in 1992 she also married singer Bobby Brown despite some years of rumours about her sexuality. Brown was riding high as a pop star at the time, the general consensus was this was a union that would not last.
The trouble was it led to Houston going on a destructive path. Keen to hide her sexuality, wanting a child, her conflict with her and her family's deep religious convictions. Houston increasingly found solace in drugs as Brown and Houston engaged in wild living, he was also having affairs and she also had her own special friend in Robyn Crawford.
Undoubtedly this is a sad documentary. A life wasted and cut short. We see footage of another documentary that was shot in 1999 which followed Whitney in her last major world tour. After that her recording output declined, so did her voice but her erratic behaviour increased.
I think Broomfield himself liked her, hence a rather respectful approach. As her long term bodyguard commented, Whitney could had been saved but those around her were not interested in keeping her off drugs.
Whitney: Can I Be Me is a departure from Broomfield's usual documentary style. Using archive footage as well as interviewing some people who worked or were close to Whitney we see a person who came up from gospel singing and crossed over to pop and made it big in the USA and around the world.
In 1992 when she got an acting role in The Bodyguard, her profile went to the stratosphere. The film was a commercial hit, the songs became best sellers. Whitney's cover of I Will Always Love You has become an enduring hit.
Yet in 1992 she also married singer Bobby Brown despite some years of rumours about her sexuality. Brown was riding high as a pop star at the time, the general consensus was this was a union that would not last.
The trouble was it led to Houston going on a destructive path. Keen to hide her sexuality, wanting a child, her conflict with her and her family's deep religious convictions. Houston increasingly found solace in drugs as Brown and Houston engaged in wild living, he was also having affairs and she also had her own special friend in Robyn Crawford.
Undoubtedly this is a sad documentary. A life wasted and cut short. We see footage of another documentary that was shot in 1999 which followed Whitney in her last major world tour. After that her recording output declined, so did her voice but her erratic behaviour increased.
I think Broomfield himself liked her, hence a rather respectful approach. As her long term bodyguard commented, Whitney could had been saved but those around her were not interested in keeping her off drugs.
helpful•244
- Prismark10
- Sep 2, 2017
- How long is Whitney: Can I Be Me?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Vitni Hjuston: Biti svoja
- Filming locations
- Vienna, Austria(in concert)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $341,402
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