Some movies have so much hype before their release, but then fall short of expectations. Unfortunately, ‘Sparkle’ falls into that category.

‘Sparkle’ is a remake of the 1976 movie. It is about three sisters trying to make it big in the Motown scene in 1968. Sparkle is often overshadowed by her two older sisters, especially Sister. Along the way, the trio deals with drugs, controversy, abusive relationships and an overprotective mother.

Sounds familiar, right?  Does ‘Dreamgirls’ bring a bell to anyone?

The movie didn’t live up to Toonari Post’s expectations because it was lacking that extra sparkle. The plot of the movie focused so much on getting a record deal but did not dive deep into what happened after Sparkle scored a record deal, which made the movie feel incomplete. The movie focused so much on how Sister dealt with fame, drugs, fortune, her abusive relationship with her husband, and her sisters trying to help her fight her problems.

There was a lot of hype and excitement surrounding the release of this film because of the death of Whitney Houston. Unlike ‘Dreamgirls,’ it may not get any Golden Globes, Oscar nominations or awards, but I do think this was a great last performance from the late Whitney Houston. She was a great singer and actress, and in this film, it showed that she truly enjoyed being a mother.

However, the acting felt a little forced, especially during the make-out scenes.  But there were definitely some standouts in the movie. Whitney Houston, of course, was one of them. Playing a mother came natural to her.  Jordin Sparks did a good job as well, especially since this was her first movie, even though the interactions with other characters were a little painful to watch. Carmen Ejogo did a good job playing Sister, one of Sparkle’s older sisters who became involved with drugs.

The song choices in this movie were not that great at all because they sounded more “church oriented” than the sounds of Motown. Despite that, Jordin outshined everyone, including Whitney Houston, when it came singing.

Sparkle was more suited for the small screen and did not have all the glitz and glamor as one would expect. Overall, Toonari Post had high expectations for this movie, but it was lacking in certain vital places.

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

Megan Woo
Share a little biographical information to fill out your profile. This may be shown publicly.

3 Comments for ‘Sparkle’: A Watered Down Version of ‘Dreamgirls’

EvilRegal

Okay, tell that to the oscar buzz surrounding Carmen Ejogo who’s more than likely to win it!

Reply