Whitney

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source: Whitney

The only surprise in this movie was that we learned more about Bobby than we did Whitney. I realize the family was not behind this movie, but after watching it twice, I did not find out one thing about Whitney that the media hadn't already reported on thousands of times before while it was happening. Actually, the movie is much kinder to Whitney and Bobby than I expected it to be. Now, with their daughter in such physical trouble that I pray she overcomes, I have to admit I have found some things that Bobbi has said, along with the rest of the family, questionable. Bobbi was interviewed and stated that she was not asked to play Whitney. She seemed mad about that, but she knows she's not an actor, and why was she so upset at not being asked, yet in the same breath mad because a movie was being made and it being "too soon". The actors were believable , and although I was surprised that Bobby was more prominent than Whitney, we have to remember that the two of them were together for most of her success and also her decline. Angela Bassett did a wonderful job in trying to fit so much material into such a short network allotted time frame. Whitney the movie is not the "drag them through the mud" film that it was portrayed to be by members of the Houston clan.

Worst movie I have seen in a while. Boring story, bad acting. Skip this one

I have to say the actors were really good but it's not the real Whitney we are seeing here. I don't think in my opinion, Yaya DaCosta shouldn't have been doing the singing part. She's a great actress and she's honestly beautiful, she's still not Whitney Houston. Musicals = 120% Acting as a music icon = no sorry, she is really acting as herself yall. As for Arlen Escarpeta playing Bobby Brown, he sounds more of Usher then the real Bobby. Nor he didn't give much character into who Bobby Brown actually is. He also is good actor but he hasn't proved to me that he can do Bobby. Anyways no one can be like Whitney or Bobby. It's a good idea to make a movie about them, however, no actor in this world can play these stars to be the queen and king of RNB through history.

Arlen and Yaya have perfect chemistry in this current year biography of the tragic singer Whitney Houston and her turbulent marriage to Bobbie Brown. The film starts off with Whitney having achieved stardom and already on drugs before she even meets up with Brown, already in relationships with children. The story becomes one of A Star Being Born with their subsequent marriage and Whitney rising to the top of her game, and a drinking Brown, unable to keep up with her and resorting to all sorts of nonsense. The great song from The Bodyguard, "I'll Always Love You" is belted out beautifully by the Houston character. A fast, controversial life with tragedy resulting was inevitable.

This movie should have been titled "Whitney and Bobby" because it is primarily about their tempestuous relationship and NOT the story of Whitney's life. The good points: Most people wondered what beautiful, elegant, classy Whitney Houston saw in "bad boy" Bobby Brown. This movie convincingly answers that question. Bobby was young, sexy, energetic, and enormously talented. He had a strong, commanding personality and he and Whitney had a passionate, erotically-charged relationship. He was her first love. Arlen Escarpeta doesn't look like Bobby Brown, but he effectively captures his persona. Love the dance number he does at the beginning of the movie, although Bobby sang "My Prerogative" at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, not "Every Little Step I Take." Deborah Cox does a very credible job of recreating Whitney's vocals. I think Jason Derulo does Bobby's vocals. The actor portraying Clive Davis looks almost exactly like him. The bad points: Yaya DaCosta is pretty, but she looks nothing like Whitney Houston. Whitney was stunningly beautiful with a radiance that lit up stage and screen. Yaya has none of that charisma. Whitney not only had a beautiful singing voice, but her speaking voice was melodious as well. Yaya sounds like a screeching Valley Girl. Her acting skills are mediocre, and I never at any time during the movie thought I was looking at Whitney. The movie sanitized Bobby's behavior to the point that at times he seemed like Saint Bobby. Whitney snorts coke from the very beginning of their relationship, but Bobby supposedly turns it down because he's seen its "bad outcomes." He also turns down sex from a groupie because of his supposed fidelity to Whitney. He breaks up with Whitney because he wants a serious relationship, but she just wants to keep things casual. He is extremely supportive of her career without any trace of jealousy during her meteoric rise to fame. I don't think Bobby was the villain the media made him out to be, but I doubt he was as positive an influence as this movie contends. Clive Davis managed Whitney's career for many years and turned her into a superstar. In his brief appearances in the movie he seems callous and a bit insensitive, which is an unfair depiction. Arlen Escarpeta is too old for the part. Bobby was only 20 years old when he and Whitney met; Escarpeta is 33. Whitney was 25, so Yaya at age 32 is a bit too old for her part, too. Bobby was cute back in the day, but Arlen is better-looking. Bobby was a gap-toothed kid barely out of his teens when he and Whitney hooked up. If he had been as handsome, muscular, and mature-looking as Arlen, he and Whitney wouldn't have seemed like such a mismatch. The musical numbers were too long. We don't need to see Yaya lip syncing full-length songs that were themselves being sung by Deborah Cox, not Whitney. This isn't a bad movie, but it's not a good one either. Whitney's legacy was far-reaching, and she deserves a high-quality biopic about her amazing career and complex relationships. "Whitney" falls far short of the mark.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning A TV dramatisation of the late singer Whitney Houston (Yaya DaCosta) and her tumultuous marriage to r n' b star Bobby Brown (Arlen Escarpeta.) The pair embarked on an excessive, drug fuelled party lifestyle, where accusations were tossed either way about who was responsible and this aims to shine an equal light on both sides. A grimly unfortunate consequence of those famous passing is a chance to use their death to cash in, and exploit it by whipping up as much sensationalism as possible. Although arriving a few years after Houston's passing, this TV biopic still feels a little cheap and low grade in it's directions. This basically has Hallmark written all over it, the type of thing certain people can lie back, and have a box of chocolates and a box of Kleenex to best enjoy. It is what it is, no more and no less, although it has to be said DaCosta's lead performance as Whitney has a certain ring of truth to it, but feels overboard and excessive even by what were her wild standards. **

A bunch of lies told by Bobby Brown. YaYa did a great job at the lipsynching though!

Yaya DaCosta as Whitney Houston? Could they have cast an Actress who looked less like Whitney? I have seen tribute acts that looked much more like her and if only for this reason I found this movie unwatchable. When you compare this to the excellent movie 'Ray' where Jamie Foxx looked and acted so much like Ray Charles that you forgot it wasn't Ray Charles. Yaya DaCosta looks and acts nothing like Whitney Houston. But it was also bad in every other way. The glossing over the real story of her life. The way they used another singer to sing (or try to sing) some of Whitney's great songs. The way they tried to make Bobby Brown look so sweet and innocent which no one can possibly believe. Angela Bassett should hang her head in shame for directing this travesty of a movie. I just hope someone produces a better movie sometime in the future.