Naomi Ackie

Ashton Sanders

Stanley Tucci

Nafessa Williams

Lance A. Williams

Tamara Tunie

Clarke Peters

Daniel Washington

JaQuan Malik Jones

Kris Sidberry

Tanner Beard

Bailee Lopes

Jennifer Ellis

Andrea Eversley

Bria Danielle Singleton

Adrian M. Mompoint

Coffey

Stew Replogle

Sean Amos

Jon F. Merz

Jaison Hunter

Whitney Houston

Oprah Winfrey

Merv Griffin

Zyla Harris-Petter

Kevin Daigneault

Anthony McCarten

Maureen Crowe

John Warhurst

Barry Ackroyd

Daysha Broadway

Kim Taylor-Coleman

Gerald Sullivan

David Offner

Tricia Peck

Patricia Sullivan

Alyssa Boffoli

Van Hayden

Tony Scelsi

Ty Taylor

Stephen Turro

Benjamin Zalusky

Christopher Ferguson

William Cunha

Juliana Lima

Tim Lutz

John Ruggieri

Emily Aragones

Nolan Ball

Woody Bell

Thomas Bellotti

Robert Bullard

Kelly Clear

Jeff Dickerson

Tulio Dueñas

Michael Dynice

Anthony Earabino

Tommy Fitzgerald

Kody Fraser

Michael Geoghegan

Jeff Griffith

David Hallas

Mattie Hamer

Kellon Haynes

Ben Heald

Patrick Hines

Guy Holt

Nick Jablonski

Joe Macaluso

Chris Malenfant

Brandon J. Meadows

Michael Moran

Chuck Moya

Alexander Jay Nelson

Todd England Nicodemus

Jason Platt

Harry Pray IV

Teddy Pryor

Derek Raimo

Jack Rohner

Joel San Juan

Christian Schmidt

Mitch Severt

Audrey L. Stevens

Zachariah Suto

Bill Trautvetter

Justin Wakefield

Gavin Wynn

Josephine Allegretti

Gary Archer

Adenike Wright

Keesh Winkler-Smith

Rebecca Serra

Trish Seeney

Shelby Michael Patton

Christopher Osorio

Geri B. Oppenheim

Anne Morgan

Brenda McNally

Dominic Mombrun

Craig Lindberg

Mandrill Hardge

Monique Peoples Graham

Peter Burgis

Louise Burton

Sandra Cuevas Alcocer

Maxwell MacRae

Andy Nelson

John Sheridan

Ian Tapp

Franziska Treutler

Kasi Lemmons

Brett Duffy

Markus Mentzer

Foley Farmers

Charlese Antoinette Jones

Pat Houston

Clive Davis

Larry Mestel

Denis O'Sullivan

David Giammarco

Matthew Gallagher

Music

History

Drama

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Compelling Pictures

Black Label Media

TriStar Pictures

West Madison Entertainment

Muse of Fire

Primary Wave Music

United States of America

CinemaSerf

I wonder why they added her name to the title? Might that be because the film makers knew that the "legacy" of this once celebrated singer has already largely wained? I can't think when I last heard one of her songs on the radio. Bigger then the "Beatles"? Well Naomi Ackie puts her heart and soul into this performance but do we ever see her tinkle on a piano, pick up a guitar, bang a tambourine even? Right from the start when she is discovered by established impresario (and one of this film's producers) Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci) we learn that she doesn't write songs. So what is there for us to remember? This film proceeds to tell us a rather sad and shallow story of a woman born into musical royalty who seems to lurch from one bad decision to another - fuelled by a confused sexuality, booze, drugs and ambition - a toxic mix for anyone to deal with. This highly speculative narrative doesn't try to give any depth to any of the characters. It doesn't try to involve us in the stresses faced by this woman who had the world beneath her feet for a while, but for whom it was all too much - especially when she discovers that those closest to her are betraying and/or embezzling from her. It asks us to be sympathetic but gives us few insights into what made her tick. The brief and superficial scenes with her wayward husband Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) are whirlwind in nature and so it's hardly surprising when he turns out to be wrong for her. The competent Tucci comes across as a benign, gentle, benefactor but again, there is little of substance to his role as he seems powerless to stop her descending into a maelstrom of despair and illness. The real story of this inspirational singer is full of twists, turns, successes and failures. Her emotional life was just about as turbulent as it is possible to get. Yet this film is sterile and procedural. I didn't feel involved, I didn't really feel that I cared for her very much. On the plus side, we are reminded on occasion of her brilliant original songs and astonishing vocal range (though Miss Ackie doesn't do the singing) and are reminded of just how good an entertainer she was, but I saw this on my own in a cinema and maybe that says quite a lot about the quality of this rather underwhelming and chronological biopic that could have been so much better had it focused more on the talents of this remarkable woman and less on the associated melodrama.

A well done flick, I'd say.

I didn't even know this existed until I was invited a week or two back to go watch it, which is a surprise as I'd imagine a Whitney Houston biopic would've got enough hype that I would've seen it mentioned around the web - perhaps I just happened to miss it? Either way, I'd very much recommend <em>'Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody'</em>.

I'm no Houston brainiac but of course knew of her top songs and unfortunate personal issues, I feel like the film does a commendable job at covering all aspects - the pacing is top notch, in my opinion. I'd imagine it takes liberties with the truth, as per for this genre, here and there, but that doesn't bother me much if so.

Naomi Ackie is terrific in the lead role, quite the first performance of her's to watch on my part. I hope to see more! The rest of the cast, from Stanley Tucci to Ashton Sanders to Tamara Tunie to Nafessa Williams to Clarke Peters, particularly the latter, are also very good throughout.

I found the run time to be spot on, while the music is - as you'd expect - excellent. Houston sure did make a tonne of hits!

The Whitney Houston movie is a production that often goes underappreciated, with its box office performance potentially suffering due to being better suited for streaming rather than a traditional theatrical release. The film focuses more on Houston's personal life, particularly her relationship with Bobby Brown and struggles with drug use, rather than showcasing her musical talents. It lacks the emphasis on her music that fans may have expected, opting for a different narrative approach.

While the movie may not have resonated with audiences as strongly as anticipated, it did serve as a reminder of Whitney Houston's exceptional talent as a singer. The lead actress's portrayal of Houston, while not widely recognized, did not detract from the film's overall impact. However, the casting choice for the role may have played a role in the film's perceived shortcomings and failure to generate significant buzz.

Despite its flaws, the movie did manage to spark interest in Whitney Houston's music, prompting viewers to rediscover her timeless songs. While the film may not have reached the heights of success it aimed for, it still served as a tribute to Houston's legacy and musical contributions.

English

Naomi Ackie Still Wears The Fake Teeth She Used to Play Whitney Houston | EE BAFTAs Red Carpet