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Whitney: Can I Be Me

Play trailer 1:40 Poster for Whitney: Can I Be Me 2017 1h 30m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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87% Tomatometer 77 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Filmmaker Nick Broomfield goes in search of the forces that made and then destroyed singer Whitney Houston, who has been described as having one of the greatest voices of the last 50 years.
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Whitney: Can I Be Me

Whitney: Can I Be Me

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Critics Reviews

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Eric Deggans NPR 11/25/2019
Whitney. "Can I Be Me provides a compelling portrait of a supreme talent isolated by fame, dysfunctional relationships and a crushing drug habit, slowly diminished by the same qualities that originally made her a superstar. Go to Full Review
Sarah Fonseca Autostraddle 11/13/2018
It's surprising how little Broomfield inserts himself into the narrative...[he] is respectful and Crawford is only present in old footage... Go to Full Review
Soraya Nadia McDonald Andscape 09/26/2017
Whitney lets us know: The demand for sanitized, postracial soothsaying from black stars as the price for success is more than detrimental. It will slowly, softly kill you. Go to Full Review
Katie Driscoll Vague Visages 12/06/2023
Can I Be Me plays out like a tragedy of the most cinematic kind. Go to Full Review
Olly Richards NME (New Musical Express) 06/09/2021
3/5
If its grip on important facts is slippery, Whitney: Can I Be Me gives a fascinating look at the making of a popstar before the age of social media. Go to Full Review
Calum Baker One Room With A View 03/02/2019
3/5
An uncharismatic documentary featuring many charismatic people, Whitney is basically watchable but hampered by an inability to push far enough. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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03/16/2019 Sorry Nick but the documentary format has moved on. This is so functional, that other than the odd idea which is hinted at you're left at the end none the wiser. Whitney's life story seems tragic, complicated and very interesting but this doesn't ever get beneath the surface I'm afraid. See more 02/19/2019 tragic and insightful. See more 07/10/2018 Revelador documental. See more 07/10/2018 it's obvious only after whitney's death her sell out family would expose all this garbage, not really sure if it's entirely true because obviously whitney's not here to defend herself. They obviously got paid as well it seemed. Bobby was the only loyal one whitney. she would be rolling over in her grave because of her family who's obviously responsible for her death. Worst bio pic I've ever seen to date. See more 10/10/2017 I normally like these type of documentaries, and whilst this is ok, I just didn't really feel anything. Sad to see such a talent destroy herself though. See more 10/05/2017 Felt surprisingly short and as if it could have covered more. Admittedly I have never been a fan or followed Whitney's career, so I knew next to nothing about her anyhow, aside from the hits and the drug abuse, marriage to Bobby Brown etc. I am assuming most interested in this would probably go into it with a bit more background than I did. I did get the impression of a slightly sad, insecure woman, which isn't at all what I would have pictured. Focuses more on the personal than the music, which I appreciated, but still could have gone a bit deeper. See more Read all reviews
Whitney: Can I Be Me

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Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmaker Nick Broomfield goes in search of the forces that made and then destroyed singer Whitney Houston, who has been described as having one of the greatest voices of the last 50 years.
Director
Nick Broomfield, Rudi Dolezal
Producer
Nick Broomfield, Marc Hoeferlin
Screenwriter
Nick Broomfield, Marc Hoeferlin
Production Co
Lafayette Films, Showtime Networks Inc., Passion Pictures
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 26, 2017
Runtime
1h 30m
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