Movies - TV
The Whitney Houston 'Biopic' That Quietly Dropped On Netflix
By JEREMY SMITH
Whitney Houston was a musical icon who led a tragic life. Burdened by impossible expectations and the conservative restrictions of her religious family, Houston’s life would probably be extremely hard to portray without riling up those who seek to control her story.
Screenwriter Lena Waithe and director Andrew Dosunmu have presented Netflix with a ballsy workaround with the film “Beauty,” the story of an African-American singer whose talents are exploited, stopping her from living a happy life as a gay woman. Starring several big names, it’s shocking that the film was quietly dumped onto the streamer without much fanfare.
The film didn't even have a Wikipedia page until July 1, and as of this posting, has only been reviewed by seven outlets. Since recent Netflix films with middling reviews have earned far more commercial attention, it’s disappointing to see the extent to which Houston’s life has been trivialized.