Sparkle

[baumer]

Discuss

[JackO]

Sparkle, the remake of 1976 film, starring the aptly named Jordin Sparks as the title character, follows the story of a young girl and her sisters as they try to make it in the music business in 1960s Detroit. This film had issues. But let me begin by saying that Carmen Ejogo is a find! She had charisma not seen in many a film. Luckily, most of the film focuses on her. I never saw any of her of previous films so I was taken aback when she lit up the screen. I also liked Tika Sumpter. Her character was very unique. She also had charisma but unfortunately her part was so small it felt wasted. She was more in the background then the self proclaimed background chick Sparkle. With how silly Mike Epps was on set, I had no idea his character was the complete opposite. That threw me for a loop but he was funny when he was being an asshole, especially when he was making fun of Levi for his paper ring.

Most of the film's high points came in the first half of the film. Unfortunately, when it hit it's climax, it all came apart. You see, I am not beholden to the original. I only saw it when I heard it was filming in Detroit. It's ok to take risks but you have to be able to execute once that happens.

Here is where the film misses the mark and it is an unforgivable miss. In the original, Satin kills Sister. In the remake, Dolores kills Satin. While it is great that a wife beating douchebag got his comeuppance, the after effects missed the mark. Sister takes the blame for his death and goes to jail. Later when Sparkle visits, Sister tells her she'll be out in 2 to years. It really falls apart when When Whitney sings her overwrought song in church. It doesn't fit. There is no need to for that if she is getting out in 2 to 3 years. The stakes aren't high enough. And then when Sparkle finally gets her solo concert, and dedicates her song to Sister, the question is why? Just because she doesn't want you to visit jail of 2 more years? It just rung false. Finally, adding on to Sparkle getting her solo concert, I never felt that Sparkle was ever in any danger. She was never going to mess up. She was never scared. Her character was supposed to be a background singer, yet the first time we hear her sing she is already singing like Diana Ross. There is not growth in character. Things happen around her and she walks through an opening. There are not difficult choices. Finally, I'll end on the romantic end between Sparkle and Stix.

For the most part it played well until after the climax and Sparkle decides that she needs a show, so she goes to a random locker room type area and sees Stix, who said he left in a much earlier scene and his only cover for that is some adr'd one line about good thing he didn't really leave. Just screams rush job. So, it's great for the first hour and 20 minutes but falls flat on it's face the last 30.

[iceroll]

Did you write that review? Why is it so painful on the eyes? T_T

[ecstasy]

Sparkle, the remake of 1976 film, starring the aptly named Jordin Sparks as the title character, follows the story of a young girl and her sisters as they try to make it in the music business in 1960s Detroit. This film had issues. But let me begin by saying that Carmen Ejogo is a find! She had charisma not seen in many a film. Luckily, most of the film focuses on her. I never saw any of her of previous films so I was taken aback when she lit up the screen. I also liked Tika Sumpter. Her character was very unique. She also had charisma but unfortunately her part was so small it felt wasted. She was more in the background then the self proclaimed background chick Sparkle. With how silly Mike Epps was on set, I had no idea his character was the complete opposite. That threw me for a loop but he was funny when he was being an asshole, especially when he was making fun of Levi for his paper ring.

Most of the film's high points came in the first half of the film. Unfortunately, when it hit it's climax, it all came apart. You see, I am not beholden to the original. I only saw it when I heard it was filming in Detroit. It's ok to take risks but you have to be able to execute once that happens.

Here is where the film misses the mark and it is an unforgivable miss. In the original, Satin kills Sister. In the remake, Dolores kills Satin. While it is great that a wife beating douchebag got his comeuppance, the after effects missed the mark. Sister takes the blame for his death and goes to jail. Later when Sparkle visits, Sister tells her she'll be out in 2 to years. It really falls apart when When Whitney sings her overwrought song in church. It doesn't fit. There is no need to for that if she is getting out in 2 to 3 years. The stakes aren't high enough. And then when Sparkle finally gets her solo concert, and dedicates her song to Sister, the question is why? Just because she doesn't want you to visit jail of 2 more years? It just rung false. Finally, adding on to Sparkle getting her solo concert, I never felt that Sparkle was ever in any danger. She was never going to mess up. She was never scared. Her character was supposed to be a background singer, yet the first time we hear her sing she is already singing like Diana Ross. There is not growth in character. Things happen around her and she walks through an opening. There are not difficult choices. Finally, I'll end on the romantic end between Sparkle and Stix.

For the most part it played well until after the climax and Sparkle decides that she needs a show, so she goes to a random locker room type area and sees Stix, who said he left in a much earlier scene and his only cover for that is some adr'd one line about good thing he didn't really leave. Just screams rush job. So, it's great for the first hour and 20 minutes but falls flat on it's face the last 30.

Yeah that changed everything. It took away the emotional impact. Yeah Whitney's song didn't fit for some reason. But I loved her singing though. That's the last I'll hear from her. Sure it was rather short and nothing to memorable. But it was her last song. So I was ok with that.

As much as I liked it. I think they missed the mark on the stage. As bad as it the original looks, that movie came alive when the girls were on stage. And the songs and their act was great. I felt like they rushed through those parts. And I would like to say Carmen was fabulous. I'd love to see her in more stuff now. I had only seen her in one other thing and that was a BBC period drama.

[JackO]

Yeah that changed everything. It took away the emotional impact. Yeah Whitney's song didn't fit for some reason. But I loved her singing though. That's the last I'll hear from her. Sure it was rather short and nothing to memorable. But it was her last song. So I was ok with that.

As much as I liked it. I think they missed the mark on the stage. As bad as it the original looks, that movie came alive when the girls were on stage. And the songs and their act was great. I felt like they rushed through those parts. And I would like to say Carmen was fabulous. I'd love to see her in more stuff now. I had only seen her in one other thing and that was a BBC period drama.

Yeah, her singing was great but I didn't get it. There was no need for it if Sister was getting out of jail in 2 years.

I agree with the stage part. I'm glad you brought that up since they did seem very stiff.

I look at her IMDB and I did see Away We Go but really don't remember her.

Edited August 21, 2012 by JackO

[ecstasy]

Yeah, her singing was great but I didn't get it. There was no need for it if Sister was getting out of jail in 2 years.

I agree with the stage part. I'm glad you brought that up since they did seem very stiff.

I look at her IMDB and I did see Away We Go but really don't remember her.

I don't either and I watched that whole movie on cable. The movie was odd anyway. Carmen has a great American accent by the way. I didn't hear her lose it at all.

[JackO]

I don't either and I watched that whole movie on cable. The movie was odd anyway. Carmen has a great American accent by the way. I didn't hear her lose it at all.

So true! I was an extra in it for a couple of scenes in The Fillmore and the songs were played from CDs ( I assume, they lipsynced, which i could kind of tell in the final cut ) and she was doing it for a while and then they stopped it she started talking and it was like Woah!