By: Orlando Arechiga

” I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is the new biopic of one of the greatest singers of all time, Whitney Houston. The film highlights Houston’s most successful accomplishments including recreations of some of her most impactful performances. The film is a fairy tale story with a phenomenal performance by British actor Naomi Ackie. Sadly, the movie struggles to be authentic in some parts of Houston’s personal life.

The film is not long, but director Kasi Lemmons’s decision to include one accomplishment after another doesn’t do too much for the film on a personal level. Accomplishment after accomplishment feels rather choppy than impactful, making you question if it was that easy for Whitney Houston to become the international star we all know she is. The viewer doesn’t have time to digest the information. We are introduced to Houston’s bisexuality, her troubled romance with Bobby Brown, “The Bodyguard”, her mother, and her relationship with Clive Davis, but it is all lost in transition with so much information offered but not fully developed. Due to Houston’s legacy, I believe the film would have worked better if one accomplishment was highlighted and was a main focus. Too much story, not too much heart.

One of the highlights of the film is Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston. Ackie did her homework and studied Houston head to toe. It shows in her performance as she captures the heart and soul from the legendary singer. As shared above, the film uses recreations of some of her most impactful performances and Ackie embodies Houston with gestures, tone, and mannerisms. Hollywood, be ready as Ackie is here to dominate. She is perfection.

As someone who deeply loves Whitney Houston, I truly appreciated the film for showing a fairy tale story of the legacy Houston left behind with her unforgettable tunes and her charisma, but overall, the film felt forced on its storytelling. For Anyone, looking for something more deep, wild, longtermism, and the dark side of her life (her alleged drug use was shared shortly in the film. I believed that side of the story could help others today. A missed opportunity) then perhaps it is better to stick with past documentaries.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is playing now in movie theaters.