3.5/5
Houston, We Have A Biopic.
146 Mins. Starring: Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams & Clarke Peters. Director: Kasi Lemmons.
The Voice is no talent show. Hit your buzzer all you like. The Voice is the one and only Whitney Houston. And with 'The Bodyguard' star and the 'I Will Always Love You' singer's brilliant biopic, she's finally given one. Albeit slightly sanitized, this is close to the bone and raw and real...but with all due respect. The tabloids already had their field day. We don't need to add insult to injury. Or tragedy. They called her troubled, but those throwing stones from glass houses should remember what completes the three T's like the late, great Michael Jackson's nephews. TALENT! In all, unapologetic caps. She outsold every other female artist in history. Mariah, Rihanna, Beyoncé. She outdid both Elvis and The Beatles with her seven straight number ones. Cap that! Her National Anthem in a tracksuit (here's to the late, great Aaliyah too) at the 1991 Superbowl jet soared above Marvin Gaye's soulful star-spangled 1983 anthem at the NBA All Star game and even Prince's Superbowl XLI halftime show in 2007. You just knew she was going to be a star when she captured the camera's eyes in the 80s pastel colourful video to her breakout hit 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'.
And now this bold and beautiful biopic takes you intimately into those moments. Because after all, "my love is your love and your love is my love." Even if that absolute anthem is glaringly missing here, especially with this movies "eternity to break us" themes. Houston hailed from Newark, New Jersey, but it's a great Brit in Walthamstow, London's own Naomi Ackie ('Doctor Who', 'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker') who makes us believe the woman behind the voice we can see on screen really is Whitney. You will get lost in this like you did her soulful sound. One that critics cruelly claimed to be the product of "Whitey" Houston. It's not right, but it's OK (not really). She made it anyway. And then some. Ackie actualizes the mannerisms of her muse perfectly to a tee. There is none greater. There have been a slew of music biopics over the last few years. 'Judy', 'Elvis', 'Respect', 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday' to name just a formidable few. But this most underrated one deserves its place in the envelope. Storming the stage just isn't done any more, but if Naomi doesn't get a nomination. Man, I'll feel like defending this woman.
Let's go girl! Ackie's amazing performance gives Houston no problems in regard to her legacy. Justice is finally delivered to her budding and blooming romance with best friend Robyn Crawford played with punch by 'Black Lightning's' Nafessa Williams. Today, this kind of love would be celebrated (with the good people), back then, it callously had to be concealed. The only saving grace perhaps is that despite the terrible, torrential tabloids, at least Whitney didn't have to go through her personal pain in-front of Twitter trolls and the firestorm that is social media. Yet her love and marriage under the bad influence of Bobby Brown took all the press headlines for the original black power couple before The Carters. Mesmerizing 'Moonlight' star Ashton Sanders makes it his prerogative to get to the core of the character in a chameleonic capturing. All the way down to the chipped tooth. Everyone's talking about them.
Letting this musical drama live, hallowed 'Harriet' and 'Black Nativity' director Kasi Lemmons puts on the greatest show, man. From an outstanding 'Oprah' comeback to the magnificent medley of the big-three. Keeping classics like 'I Loves You, Porgy', 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going' and 'I Have Nothing' in a range that showed no one could touch her stratosphere. It was in a whole other solar system of stars. Just like the inspired iconic moments. Sitting in a chair on set, making a Dolly Parton classic her own with Kevin Costner watching. Or touching down at the Superbowl with an authentic take on the anthem which had a tear falling from my eye...and I ain't even American. These moments belong on the booming big-screen. Just like Houston did. With 'Wanna Dance' you really feel the heat of somebody who loves her.
Authorized by Clive Davis as well as the Houston family, of course the music maestro behind the likes of Judy Garland, Janis Joplin and many, many more figures prominently here. But that's perfect, revealing their relationship and also their genius songwriting study and process (an educational must for anyone who dreams that same dream). Reading 'Taste' by Stanley Tucci back home in the UK (where he now resides), this Christmas was a pleasure. But here 'The Devil Wears Prada' and 'The Hunger Games' star cooks up his best performance from the studio. And at least that bifocal and comb-over look is nowhere near as scary as the normally all-too likeable man is in 'The Lovely Bones' (now THAT'S range). But 'As The World Turns' it's Tina Turner lookalike Tamara Tunie (she would have been perfect for 'What's Love Got To Do With It' if it wasn't for the amazing, Academy Award-winning Angela Bassett) and 'Da 5 Bloods' standout Clarke Peters who are so nuanced and brilliant as Houston's parents. Soul icon and now Twitter legend Dionne Warwick is Whitney Houston's first-cousin. NBA star Gary Garland her half-brother. Her mother Cissy Houston was a great too. But with no nepotism, Whitney came from royalty and took her own throne. And now, Ackie aiming for an acting one, crowns this dancing queen. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Respect', 'Judy', 'Elvis'.
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