Naomi Ackie’s Performance As Whitney Houston Is Breathtaking
Published: January 21, 2023
By: Kendall B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12
A joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, one of the greatest female R&B pop vocalists of all time, tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Kendall B. comments, “Naomi Ackie’s performance as Whitney Houston is breathtaking. You can tell she studied Houston very closely. Whitney’s relationship with her best friend, Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) is focused on very heavily in this film, and I loved it.” See her full review below.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
By Kendall B.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12
I Wanna Dance With Somebody is a new film about the life of Whitney Houston, one of the greatest voices of any generation. It portrays Houston in a new and exciting way that all audiences will love to see.
Raised by famous singer Cissy Houston (Tamara Tunie), Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie) had a powerful voice from the time she was little. After being discovered while singing in her mom’s place by record executive Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci), Whitney quickly became a huge singer all across America and around the world. This movie follows her life from the beginning to the end and shows what happened behind the cameras, closely following her relationship with her husband, family, and friends.
Naomi Ackie’s performance as Whitney Houston is breathtaking. You can tell she studied Houston very closely. Whitney’s relationship with her best friend, Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) is focused on very heavily in this film, and I loved it. There is lots of tension between the actors and it definitely makes the film better in so many ways. Another relationship that is focused on in this film is Houston’s relationship with Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders). Ackie and Sanders both put lots of effort into their roles and it pays off. The film I Wanna Dance With Somebody does an astounding job when it comes to Whitney’s performances. It feels like you’re really there watching her perform. My favorite scene — and it’s really breathtaking to watch it.
The message of I Wanna Dance With Somebody is that fame can change a person’s life for good and for bad. Whitney Houston got lots of money and fame from her singing career, but it also messed with her in horrible ways. A few things for parents watching with children to be aware of is that there is lots of swearing in this movie and drugs are used towards the end of the film.
I give I Wanna Dance With Somebody 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters December 23, 2022.
Official Trailer:
