Biopics made with the approval of the subject’s family can often sand down the edges and avoid any controversial moments in favor of borderline hagiography, which ensured that I Wanna Dance with Somebody didn’t really stand much of a chance when it came to doing true justice to the complex, complicated, and altogether influential legacy of Whitney Houston.
As a result, what was once touted as a potential awards season contender ended up being largely shunned by critics and ignored by paying customers, even if star Naomi Ackie deservedly won plenty of plaudits for her performance. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 44 percent, it’s clear that failing to scratch too deeply beneath the surface was the wrong call, even if a 92 percent audience approval rating underlines that Houston’s fans enjoyed it a great deal more.
Then again, not many of them seemed to show up at the theater to catch I Wanna Dance with Somebody on the big screen, with the $45 million movie earning less than $60 million at the box office. It’s a million miles away from being the best biographical drama you’ll ever see, but striking a chord with the target audience after the fact is a decent enough substitute.
In fact, I Wanna Dance with Somebody has been enjoying a brand new lease of life on streaming, with FlixPatrol revealing that it’s become the number one most-watched feature among subscribers in the United States since being added to the library. Houston’s life and career was bathed in just as much darkness as it was light, even if the story shied away from covering it.
