75
Metascore
37 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldThe Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldIt’s hard to watch young Whitney, knowing what lies ahead, but it seems important to do as the film does: take a moment, and just listen to her sing.
- 83The PlaylistJordan RuimyThe PlaylistJordan RuimyStripping the “I Will Always Love You,” singer away from sensationalist tabloid dirt that marred her life, MacDonald’s thoughtfulness is arguably its standout element. The finesse with which he crafts his doc makes for, quite simply, an absorbing and moving portrayal of an unforgettable heartrending figure.
- 83The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyThe A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyWhitney herself remains a figure of some mystery, her rise and fall refracting the hopes and anxieties of the people around her, with a tragic echo in the death of her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, in 2015.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyThe Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyIt's a riveting narrative, and even those not among Houston's more passionate fan base will find it an emotionally wrenching experience.
- 80VarietyOwen GleibermanVarietyOwen GleibermanMacdonald’s multi-faceted portrait of Houston allows us to touch the intertwined forces that did her in.
- 75Washington PostAnn HornadayWashington PostAnn HornadayAlthough Whitney follows a familiar structure, Macdonald infuses it with artful editorial choices, marking the chapters of Houston’s life with brief but vivid montages of the times in which she lived.
- 70Screen DailyTim GriersonScreen DailyTim GriersonWhitney is strongest when it connects Houston to the larger history of Black America, illustrating how this glamorous performer grew up in poverty and never entirely escaped the obligation of helping to pull up her underprivileged family members.
- It’s a film principally and poignantly focused on the absence of Whitney, an aching void felt as much in life as in death. Many of us missed Whitney even before she left; this imperfect documentary preys calmly and effectively on that longing.
- 60New York Magazine (Vulture)Emily YoshidaNew York Magazine (Vulture)Emily YoshidaTwo biographical documentaries in, and it still feels like we’re in need of a Houston film that digs into her music first, and the hows and whys of its enduring power.