The long anticipated Whitney Houston biopic, directed by Angela Bassett, airs on Lifetime Saturday night.
"Time to be Whitney Houston."
But when it comes the authenticity of the film, Houston's sister-in-law and executor of her estate, Pat Houston, has a warning for viewers: "Brace yourself for the worst."
In a page-long scathing statement, Pat claims the film "reeks of condemnation and deceit." She continued, "I don't think it ever entered their minds that they were assaulting the legacy of another individual. ... Misrepresenting the term friendship to advance an agenda is not only disrespectful and dishonest but a slap in the face to her true and loyal friends."
We're not pointing any fingers, but that sounds an awful lot like a shot at Bassett, who co-starred with Houston in the 1995 film, "Waiting to Exhale."
"We had an admiration for one another. Working with her on 'Waiting to Exhale' was magnificent. ... Like everyone loved and admired her," Bassett said on The Real.
We will note in her statement, Pat Houston also mentioned the film went forward without Whitney's family's blessing.
"I understand it, I truly understand it. She was their heart, she was their mother, their daughter. And like you said, very protective," Bassett told Meredith Vieira.
The film also couldn't obtain the rights to the pop star's legendary voice. Debra Cox re-voiced the famed songs and lead actress Yaya DaCosta lip synced along.
Regardless of the details of how it came to be, the film happened and there are some early reviews and they're pretty mixed.
"Between the bedroom make up and break up scenes, the drugs and the behind the scenes filming of the filming of 'The Bodyguard,' lets just say it's good Angela Bassett has her acting career ... to fall back on," Deadline's Dominic Patten said.
But in stark contrast, Newsday's Verne Gay gives the film a bit of praise, saying, "It's full of warmth and passion ... That style, and grace, and elegance, and beauty . . . and especially that joy."
But it seems there is one overarching complaint — the time period which the film focuses on.
And that's the late singers embattled and highly public relationship with ex-husband Bobby Brown. There's not much in the way of Whitney's rise to fame or her sudden death.
The biopic airs Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern. If you plan on tuning in, the movie will be followed by an interview with Bobby Brown.
