The movie doesn’t skimp on scenes of Houston in the possession of drugs, kissing and frolicking with her close companion (and future creative director) Robyn Crawford, going into rehab, asserting her views on which songs were right or wrong for her and brawling with Bobby Brownĭirected by Kasi Lemmons and written by Anthony McCarten (of Bohemian Rhapsody fame), the movie gets plenty of basics about her life right.
In its two-plus hours, the movie, which was authorized by Houston’s family and was co-produced by her music mentor Clive Davis, features a multi-layered performance by British actress Naomi Ackie, whose lip-synching to Houston’s vocals is incredibly convincing. No one will accuse Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody of glossing over the turbulent life of Whitney Houston.