I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY

US, 2022, 144 minutes, Colour.

Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, Clarke Peters, Daniel Washington, Bailee Lopes, Bria Danielle Singleton.

Directed by Kasi Lemmons.

The title is that of one of Whitney Houston’s most popular songs, and from early in her career. Audiences around the world, especially in the 1990s, and then into the 2000s responded enthusiastically to Whitney Houston’s singing, her vocal range, her investing her personality in the songs and their lyrics, infected and affected by her enthusiastic renditions.

In the late 2010s, there were two prominent documentaries about Whitney Houston, both by distinguished British directors, Kevin MacDonald and Nick Broomfield. They provided an outlione of Whitney Houston’s life, of her career, of her achievements, of her addictions, sexual relationships and orientation, marriage and family. There were very strong with a significant range of talking heads elaborating on Whitney Houston and her career.

This film is not a documentary. Rather, it is a biographical portrait, the audience getting the basic information about the stages of Whitney Houston’s life, as a young girl singing in the choir, her mother the leader, her mother’s strong personality and career, her business-focused father and his later defrauding his daughter, her mother training her daughter, instilling strict local and singing discipline.

Enter record producer and entrepreneur, Clive Davis, played by Stanley Tucci. He is persuaded to listen to the young Whitney Houston, recognises her talent, interviews her, understands her ambitions, takes her on full-time, promoting her, present at the recordings. When she says she wants to make a film, it is The Bodyguard, Kevin Costner wanting her for the central role and recommending Dolly Parton’s keynote song, And I Will Always Love You. It was an iconic role.

The film audience then has an opportunity to hear so many of Whitney Houston songs, some at length, with British actress, Naomi Ackie, impersonating so well the characteristics of Whitney Houston, especially on stage. And, significantly and importantly, the film uses the voice of Whitney Houston herself.

As with so many showbiz biopics, there are the high points, and, it seems inevitably, the low points. In the 80s and 90s, the singer was introduced to drugs, concealing them, but growing dependent on them – and, at the age of 48, drowning after an overdose.

The film is strong on Whitney Houston’s relationship with her dynamic mother (a strong performance by Tamara at Uni), loving her father but eventually confronting him quite dramatically after his mismanagement of her money.

Then, more frankly these days, the issues of her relationships, her love for Robyn Crawford, making her over assistant, supporting her despite criticisms from family and friends and innuendo from the media. There is also the issue of Bobby Brown, the singer, attracted to her, she to him, despite his womanising and brashness, term in prison, marrying him, a miscarriage, the birth of their daughter, his infidelities.

For audiences who remember Whitney Houston, for those who are still devoted to her music, this is a film they will want to see. For those not familiar with Whitney Houston, this opens up her life and career, but may not be of interest to audiences who have different musical tastes.

1. The status of Whitney Houston as singer, worldwide, record-breaking, awards?
2. A portrait biography, key events and characters in Whitney Houston’s life, her progress as a singer, success, addictions, relationships, marriage and family, collapse?
3. The background musical score, the range of Whitney Houston songs, the use of her voice and Naomi Ackie’s performance, and impersonation of Whitney Houston and her concerts, television…?
4. The popularity of the songs, putting them in their historical context, Clive Davis as producer, Whitney Houston selecting the songs, her criteria, arrangements, her vocal range?
5. The opening in the 90s, at the awards? Her mother present, support? Going back to the 80s, singing in the choir, aged 20, her mother’s career and success, the quarrels with her father at home, her mother training her, the strong demands? The background of the family, the other children and their music? Backup for Whitney?
6. Cissy singing at the club, her strong character, her career, ambitions for her daughter, clashes with her husband? Pretending to have lost her voice, letting Whitney go on, Clive Davis impressed? His interviews in the office, her responses, her ambitions, his supporting her?
7. The outline of her success, her nervousness singing on television, overcoming the nervousness, her mother’s support? The recordings? Developing her style? Concert performances, television, tours? Her wanting to be in a movie? The background of The Bodyguard, Dolly Parton song, her choosing it, Kevin Costner’s role, the success of the film?
8. Robyn Crawford, strong personality, meeting Whitney, their connecting, infatuation, Robyn in love with Whitney? The developments? Whitney and her sexual orientation? Yet the Bible and injunctions in the background? Wanting to marry and have a family? The family’s response to Robyn? Her continued presence, advice, support, watching television, the performances? Whitney wanting to make her an assistant? Her continued role, the difficulties with Bobby Brown, the breaking of the partnership?
9. World fame, awards, top of the charts, outdoing the Beatles? The concert for Nelson Mandela?
10. The scenes of her concerts, the crowds, enthusiasm? Her response?
11. Bobby Brown, engagement, filming The Bodyguard, the ceremony, his promises? His background, age, womanising, telling Whitney about the girlfriend pregnant, Whitney’s reaction, marrying him? The performance, the collapse, the miscarriage? Pregnant, the birth of their daughter? Whitney’s devotion, over the years, the daughter accompanying her? Bobby Brown, his infidelities, his macho demands, Whitney ordering him out?
12. Her father, his relationship with his wife, the secretary, womanising, insisting on being the manager, Whitney’s dependence on him, ultimately, the financial situation, the exposure of his defrauding and her taking a stance?
13. The background of drugs, introduced when young, taking them, concealing them, relying on them? The growing addiction?
14. The effect on her performance, on her vocal range, tours and people walking out?
15. Her later years, decline, her daughter, the meetings with Clive Davis, his partner? At the hotel, the drugs, accidental drowning?
16. The film’s culmination with her performance of the three songs combined?
17. The ultimate tribute to Whitney Houston and her voice, success? And the sadness of her decline?