I Wanna Dance with Somebody
(B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody' (directed by Kasi Lemmons & written by Anthony McCarten, of Bohemian Rhapsody, Darkest Hour) begins in 1983, where we meet Whitney (Naomi Ackie) - nicknamed "Nippy" by loved ones - performing in a church choir where her professional singer mother, Cissy (Tamara Tunie), gives her some unwanted constructive criticism about her vocal technique. But Cissy knows that her daughter has "It", and so, schemes a performance at a night club where Arista head honcho Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci) would hear her perform. To no surprise, Whitney blows him away and, he quickly signs her as his new act; her break-out performance of "Home" on The Merv Griffin Show would soon follow.
That is followed by the swift succession of #1 hits from the mid 1980s-late 1990s ("Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional", "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", & other late hits), gloriously singing the National Anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, starring/singing in the film The Bodyguard 1992), & so on. In 1989, she meets hip hop artist Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders, of Moonlight), a development that does not sit well with her best friend/former lover, Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams), while Whitney also butts heads with her controlling father, John (Clarke Peters), who as business manager, may not always have her best interests at heart. All of which leads to added stresses, immense exhaustion & turning to hard drugs as an escape. The film is bookended by her iconic 1994 American Music Awards 3-song medley -- it's a showstopper.
Most Whitney fans will know exactly where this biopic is headed once it begins. We know the trajectory of her life. We know the professional highs & personal lows; it has been well chronicled in many a documentary. At least it avoids becoming a complete downer by concentrating more so on Whitney's successes rather than her fears/flaws/downfalls. As Houston, British actress Naomie Ackie is vibrant & sympathetic; giving us a public version of the icon that we know, a skimming glimpse at the woman behind-closed-doors, & then inhabiting her spine-tingling live performances with real aplomb. Aside from a few lyrics sung by Ackie in a conversational manner, 90% of what we hear is Houston's actual voice, with the actress ably lip-synching.
The major issue I have with this film is what we see in-between the live performances. Even at 146 min. in length, the narrative rushes through Whitney's life; trying to condense 30 yrs. into the run time. We don't see enough of her recreational drug use to give context to what occurs later. And though we know her turbulent relationship(s) lead to her going from America's sweetheart to tabloid pariah, the connective tissue from scene to scene is lacking. Family $$ woes are glossed over. Bobby's abuse is glossed over. Their infamous reality show is never mentioned. Even Whitney's same sex relationship with Robyn - while shown quite a bit - could've been examined more. It's almost like each individual dramatic scene that highlights a moment in her life could be from its own movie, rather than being a part of a substantial, character-revealing whole. So the dramatic impact is only cursory.
Again, you won't learn much more about Whitney Houston than you knew going in. We don't get down to the nitty-gritty of 'who she is'. That said, if you're just looking to hear Whitney's soaring vocals, watch an actress imitate her very well, ooh & ah at the glitzy costumes, & see shallow recreations of events that are well-chronicled ... this movie does that all exceedingly well. Just don't go in expecting something other than your typical by-the-numbers biopic about an enormously talented-yet-doomed artist. The movie's script tends to buff out the edges of a complex protagonist, as well as those in her inner circle. 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' gets the job done, but we've seen it all before. Enjoy it as a balm to the ears, if not the brain.
That is followed by the swift succession of #1 hits from the mid 1980s-late 1990s ("Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional", "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", & other late hits), gloriously singing the National Anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, starring/singing in the film The Bodyguard 1992), & so on. In 1989, she meets hip hop artist Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders, of Moonlight), a development that does not sit well with her best friend/former lover, Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams), while Whitney also butts heads with her controlling father, John (Clarke Peters), who as business manager, may not always have her best interests at heart. All of which leads to added stresses, immense exhaustion & turning to hard drugs as an escape. The film is bookended by her iconic 1994 American Music Awards 3-song medley -- it's a showstopper.
Most Whitney fans will know exactly where this biopic is headed once it begins. We know the trajectory of her life. We know the professional highs & personal lows; it has been well chronicled in many a documentary. At least it avoids becoming a complete downer by concentrating more so on Whitney's successes rather than her fears/flaws/downfalls. As Houston, British actress Naomie Ackie is vibrant & sympathetic; giving us a public version of the icon that we know, a skimming glimpse at the woman behind-closed-doors, & then inhabiting her spine-tingling live performances with real aplomb. Aside from a few lyrics sung by Ackie in a conversational manner, 90% of what we hear is Houston's actual voice, with the actress ably lip-synching.
The major issue I have with this film is what we see in-between the live performances. Even at 146 min. in length, the narrative rushes through Whitney's life; trying to condense 30 yrs. into the run time. We don't see enough of her recreational drug use to give context to what occurs later. And though we know her turbulent relationship(s) lead to her going from America's sweetheart to tabloid pariah, the connective tissue from scene to scene is lacking. Family $$ woes are glossed over. Bobby's abuse is glossed over. Their infamous reality show is never mentioned. Even Whitney's same sex relationship with Robyn - while shown quite a bit - could've been examined more. It's almost like each individual dramatic scene that highlights a moment in her life could be from its own movie, rather than being a part of a substantial, character-revealing whole. So the dramatic impact is only cursory.
Again, you won't learn much more about Whitney Houston than you knew going in. We don't get down to the nitty-gritty of 'who she is'. That said, if you're just looking to hear Whitney's soaring vocals, watch an actress imitate her very well, ooh & ah at the glitzy costumes, & see shallow recreations of events that are well-chronicled ... this movie does that all exceedingly well. Just don't go in expecting something other than your typical by-the-numbers biopic about an enormously talented-yet-doomed artist. The movie's script tends to buff out the edges of a complex protagonist, as well as those in her inner circle. 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' gets the job done, but we've seen it all before. Enjoy it as a balm to the ears, if not the brain.