Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

43%

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137 Reviews

92%

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Discovered by record executive Clive Davis, Whitney Houston rises to fame in the 1980s to become one of the greatest singers of her generation. Read More Read Less

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

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Critics Consensus

Another wiki-biopic for posterity's sake, the relatively watchable I Wanna Dance with Somebody leaves you feeling like you were on stage with Whitney Houston, but didn't really get to dance with her.

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Audience Says

Naomi Ackie does an outstanding job as Whitney Houston in I Wanna Dance with Somebody, and even longtime fans might learn a few things about the singer's life.

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Critics Reviews

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Jenny Nulf

Austin Chronicle

WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY is like the SparkNotes of [Houston's] life, a smattering of collected moments that feel hollow.

Rated: 1.5/5

Feb 21, 2023

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Stephen Romei

The Australian

It is a celebration of her too-short, spectacular career but it does not ignore her drug use, her sexual relationship with Crawford, her tempestuous marriage, and her concert disasters.

Jan 6, 2023

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

I Wanna Dance with Somebody plays by the rules of the TV movie to efficient, if scarcely groundbreaking, effect. It will change no minds about Whitney Houston.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 3, 2023

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Nate Tinner-Williams

Black Catholic Messenger

Ever so tidy, tying up loose ends that many Houston fans and onlookers likely wondered about in her final years and beyond. The resolutions did not always feel genuine, however, and at times seemed quite rushed.

Rated: 7/10

Aug 10, 2024

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Maxance Vincent

InSession Film

It's miraculous that a movie penned by the screenwriter of Bohemian Rhapsody would be worth watching, but Kasi Lemmons continues to prove she is a highly versatile filmmaker/actor whose imprint on cinema will be felt for decades to come.

Rated: A

Mar 6, 2024

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

It wasn’t gay enough, but that it was gay at all gives me hope we’ll get this part of her story done right some day.

Feb 13, 2024

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Audience Reviews

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Angelica Awesome! The best of all of the Whitney biographies Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/28/23 Full Review m c So GOOD! What else can I say? Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Did not disappoint Loved th whole movie. When youre a Whitney fan, you want the movie to remind you how awesome she was. The movie did just that Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Peggy I love her songs and how she sings them, so this movie was awesome! I love seeing how she got the songs she did. Its so sad though when drugs hurt people's lives and ability to function. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Harlan M Strong performances. A lot of life was lived in 48 years and all couldnt have been covered in the 2+ hour movie. Well filmed and presented. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Evie You see the complexity of her life. Heartbreaking and so tragic for someone so talented. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

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Cast & Crew

Kasi Lemmons Director Naomi Ackie Whitney Houston Stanley Tucci Clive Davis Nafessa Williams Robyn Crawford Tamara Tunie Cissy Houston Clarke Peters John Houston

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody: Official Clip - The Drug-Filled Tour