Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody

No one loves their clichés more than the biopic genre. However, no music biopic has done every cliché with such quick and reckless abandon as “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” That’s not really a bad thing.

Christopher James said in his review, “Few pop culture icons loom as large as Whitney Houston, “The Voice,” who holds the record for seven consecutive number one singles atop the Billboard Top 100.” By quality of also being a modern celebrity, most people have some idea of Houston. So, the biopic spends less time educating people on who Whitney Houston is. Actually, it’s a crash course through her history. Unfortunately, it misses her soul and motivation – what made Whitney Houston from the biggest star in the world to passing at 48?

The simple answer the movie gives is drugs, but it never goes deeper than that.

We first meet Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie) as a rebellious teenager adding runs and vocal lessons to the gospel songs her mother, Cissy Houston (Tamara Tunie) is teaching. Cissy is a singer herself and Whitney wants to follow in her footsteps, even hoping to reach the level of family friends Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick.

After one magnificent performance with her mother, Whitney catches the attention of producer Clive Davis, played by Stanley Tucci, who signs her to Arista Records. She became an overnight success with her bestselling debut album. However, as is usual for the blueprint for any biopic, success has its own challenges.

James points out, “From here, the movie picks up and drops story threads like its browsing Saks Fifth Avenue.” There’s some conflict where Whitney responds to criticism that she’s “not black enough,” but that is dropped just as soon as it’s introduced. Much of the first act is pent with Whitney’s female lover, Robyn, played by Nafessa Williams, who soon becomes her executive assistant. Their relationship feels relaxed, but once she meets Bobby Brown, played by Ashton Sanders, Robyn disappears. When Robyn comes back any conflict around their romantic relationship has disappeared. James noted, “Though a major part of her tabloid persona, Bobby Brown is rarely seen and is just a one-note obstruction when he is.”

There’s one major cliché that director Kasi Lemmons avoids. The film is not self-serious or sympathetic of Whitney Houston. Her drug use is awkwardly set up halfway through the movie. Five minutes later Whitney has hit the pit. If someone were trying to learn what it was like to follow Whitney Houston for decades, this would not be the right film introduction. James criticized, “For fans, it’s a perfectly sloppy vehicle. It celebrates and elevates her, spending more time with her iconic performances, fun idiosyncrasies, iconic music videos and moments of joy with Robyn. The movie revels in black joy more than black suffering, even though Whitney could be the poster child for both. Screenwriter Anthony McCarten and Lemmons fail in constructing a legible film, but they at least make a fun one.”

Playing Whitney Houston is a scary role that Naomi Ackie is more or less up for. She looks the part and most of the singing sequences use Whitney’s voice. James said, “Therein lies the issue, she evokes Whitney more than she embodies her.” Watching the movie, you can see that Ackie understands what made Whitney special. However, she doesn’t bring herself to the role or go deeper into Whitney’s perspective, an issue that’s already in the script. In the end, the performance comes off as a strong impersonation. James noted, “That’s still more than can be said of any of the supporting cast, who aren’t given enough material to transcend their two-dimensional purposes in the story.”

James continued, “Still, if you are still with your family on extended holiday and need something to take your Mother or Grandmother to, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody is waiting for you with open arms. It’s a rocking good time with two and a half hours packed with Whitney music, Lifetime level overacting and just buckets of charisma.” It’s not right, but it’s OK.

I believe I saw this on Paramount+ and I fell in love with the movie. I didn’t know certain things about Houston’s life, so this was an eye-opener. I have always loved Houston’s music and if you’re also a fan, than this movie is for you. Check it out and see about one of the greatest artists of her time that we sadly lost too soon.

Monday I will be reviewing the yearly “President’s Day Movie Review.” Sorry for the late posting. I was starting to type this when I was called to do something that took some time to complete.