Musical prodigy, Sparkle struggles to become a star while overcoming issues that are tearing her family apart. From an affluent Detroit area and daughter to a single mother, she tries to balance a new romance with music manager Stix while dealing with the unexpected challenges her new life will bring as she and her two sisters strive to become a dynamic singing group during the Motown-era.
Acting
Whitney Houston's raw, weary maternal authority.
Score
R. Kelly-penned originals that slap unapologetically.
Costume
Sequined gowns that scream 'we made it, sort of'.
Director
Salim Akil
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Whitney Houston's first film role in fifteen years and her final acting performance before her death in February 2012.
The original 1976 Sparkle was written by Joel Schumacher and loosely based on The Supremes; this remake shifts focus to maternal sacrifice and Black church respectability politics.
US
