Netflix’s Biggest Movie Is A Blockbuster Musical Biopic
Whitney Houston's biopic, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, is topping the streaming charts on Netflix.
The world will always love Whitney Houston and that couldn’t be made more clear than now as Netflix subscribers are flocking to the singer’s latest biopic, I Wanna Dance With Somebody. After a theatrical release at the tail end of last year, the film has finally landed on the streamer, where FlixPatrol reports it to be in the platform’s Top 10. Starring Star Wars actress Naomi Ackie, who appeared in The Rise of Skywalker, as the legendary performer, the film centers on Houston’s rise to the top from her humble beginnings as a church-singing teen.
The Sony Pictures movie picks up in the late teen years of Whitney Houston’s life when the 19-year-old is living in New Jersey at her mom’s house and singing in the church choir. Eventually, Whitney’s path will serendipitously cross with famed record producer Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci), who helps launch her toward stardom. From her complicated relationships with Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) and Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) to her most unforgettable performances, I Wanna Dance With Somebody leaves no stone of the late singer’s career unturned.
Although, on the surface, she had it all, Whitney Houston’s life was a bit of a tragedy when it came to her most personal relationships. For years people speculated on her relationship with her close friend Robyn, with many believing that the two women’s bond went beyond a tight-knit friendship – although Whitney always vehemently denied these claims. Meanwhile, her home life was turbulent as the star had a strained relationship with both her mother and father, which is another major plot point of the film.
One of the biggest couples of their time, to say that Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s time together was toxic would be a major understatement. The duo used drugs together and frequently got into messy altercations that would many times end in physical abuse, with Whitney as the victim. Ultimately, her addiction would take her life as the singer passed away in a hotel room in the Beverly Hilton following an accidental drowning involving a drug overdose. She was just 48 years old.
A legend both on the stage and off, Whitney Houston’s legacy has lived on not only through her music but also her appearance in a slew of feature films, including her leading role opposite Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard. Not the only film to tell the tragic tale of the late performer, I Wanna Dance With Somebody is just one title out there celebrating Houston’s life. However, unlike the others, which are documentaries featuring interviews with those closest to her, I Wanna Dance With Somebody took those real-life moments and molded them into a dramatized script.
Although the film itself isn’t technically a documentary, the Whitney Houston biopic is fully authorized by her estate and has several familiar names from the singer’s life attached as producers. Included in the notable lineup is Houston’s producer and lifelong friend, Clive Davis, and her sister-in-law Pat Houston. Also joining as producers are both Molly Smith and Thad and Trent Luckinbill, a team well known for their work behind films including Devotion, La La Land, and The Blind Side.
Not necessarily a major hit with the critics, the dramatized story of Whitney Houston’s life now sits on Rotten Tomatoes with a critics’ rating of 44 percent. Much of the distaste for the film was aimed at the screenplay, while the visual effects and music editing were hailed by many. Also receiving congratulations was Harriet director Kasi Lemmons for her directorial vision behind the film.
First making her debut into the world of acting in an episode of Doctor Who, Naomi Ackie delivered a dazzling and strong performance as Whitney Houston in I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Her commanding presence would nab her the Rising Star award at the BAFTAs. Previously, the actress appeared in the aforementioned Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and in the dark comedy drama The End of the F***ing World.
The Whitney Houston-centered film was released just in time for holiday cinemagoers on December 23, 2022. This pitted it against other late-year releases, including Avatar: The Way of Water and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which certainly didn’t help its box office earnings. Although the feature may not have been a major hit during its theatrical run, it’s now receiving a standing ovation at its current home on Netflix.
