Film Review: WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (2022): Naomi Ackie Will Wow Audiences in a Standard but Energetic Biopic

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody Review

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Kasi Lemmons, written by Anthony McCarten and starring Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, Clarke Peters, Daniel Washington, Bailee Lopes, Bria Danielle Singleton, JaQuan Malik Jones, Kris Sidberry, Dave Heard, Coffey, Lance A. Williams, Luke Crory and Devon Coull.

Naomi Ackie stars as Whitney Houston in the very serviceable biopic directed by Kasi Lemmons, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. While Whitney’s fans won’t find out much that they didn’t already know about the superstar, the movie is highly energetic with music that will have audiences entertained and possibly clapping throughout the amazingly done singing sequences. Ackie creates Houston as a woman who loved to perform until her music became more of a business as the musical artist and her family turned into a “brand.” Ackie’s performance conveys Houston’s love for her craft and is full of passionate charisma and this makes the movie worthwhile as a result.

We meet Whtiney Houston in New Jersey as the film opens with her singing under the guidance of her overbearing mom, Cissy (the terrific Tamara Tunie). Whitney meets the charismatic Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) and forms a strong bond with her that one could definitely classify as romantic in nature. It is, however, the record producer at Arista Records, Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci), who gives Whitney the chance to make it big in the music biz. Clive sees Whitney perform and believes he has found the superstar he was always looking to represent.

Clarke Peters serves as John Houston, Whitney’s dad who became in charge of her finances and spent money frivolously. He tells Whitney at one point to keep singing and he’ll take care of all the money matters. However, Whitney’s fortune was mishandled by John which was a significant problem for her. John is also troubled by his daughter’s relationship with Robyn and suggests to these two young women that they should find young men to hang out with in a heartbreaking scene.

When Whitney meets the bad boy Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders), her life will be forever altered. Bobby is trouble from the beginning. When he proposes to Whitney, he tells her he got another woman pregnant but that he is madly in love with Ms. Houston. Though you may want to yell at the screen and tell Whitney to just walk away from Bobby, anybody who knows the legendary musical talent’s life story knows she will marry Bobby and that domestic disputes will eventually occur.

The best scene of Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody revolves around her wonderful song from the 1992 movie, The Bodyguard, “I Will Always Love You.” The most rousing segment of the film shows an extended sequence using the song which covers a lot of territory all the way up to the moments when Whitney ultimately married Bobby Brown. When Whitney made The Bodyguard, Kevin Costner urged her to listen to the old Dolly Parton song of the same name which Whitney then transformed into a megahit.

All the music in Kasi Lemmons’ film is top notch thanks to the amazing quality of Whitney’s incredible talents. One particularly noteworthy scene comes when Houston sings the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Ackie plays the icon in such a way that the audience respects her but sees her making mistakes that led to her inevitable dependence on drugs. Some of the scenes between Ackie and Sanders are impeccably done, and we can kind of understand why this legendary woman gave into the charms of the, at times, very abusive Bobby Brown who was her partner for better or worse.

Stanley Tucci stands out in the movie as well as the record producer who becomes Whitney’s friend and must eventually involve himself in her personal life when he sees her digging herself deeper in terms of her dependence on drugs. Tucci doesn’t overdo the role. He plays it just right. Tucci adds remarkable sensitivity to what could have been a smaller role in a lesser movie. Nefessa Williams is also quite strong as Robyn who stands by Houston even when Bobby Brown tells her she needs to step aside from Whitney. Williams’ work is of significance to the success of the movie, overall, and the actress creates a very compelling screen presence.

Ackie makes the movie her own. She captures the mannerisms and personality traits of Whitney Houston to a tee. As Ackie’s real-life character delves deep into her own personal abyss, her love for music is always evident. Ackie could have been deserving of an Academy Award nomination in a lesser year. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if she’s an audience favorite this year for Best Actress. It’s a grand performance that will have the audience rooting for Houston as she makes mistakes later in the movie that we know cannot be undone.

This film predictably ends with footage of the real-life Whitney Houston over the closing credits. As a legendary talent and performer, one only wishes she was able to live a longer life, and this movie stands as a tribute to the music sensation that she truly was. She will be remembered for generations to come, and her songs will live on in our hearts.

Rating: 7.5/10

Leave your thoughts on this Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Feedly, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, Telegram, and Flipboard.