Sparkle Review
Three beautiful sisters, one named Sister, were raised as churchgoing girls who sang in the choir. One of the girls, Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) had a gift for songwriting, and wanted to pursue her goal of becoming a singer/songwriter. The other two had beautiful voices as well and had their own dreams and goals. However their mother, Emma (Whitney Houston) wanted to keep her daughters on the straight and narrow; she did not want them to lead a life of fame. Eventually the three sisters secretly formed a singing group and became a Motown hit! Later, their fame and fortune brought on unforeseen difficulties and began to tear the family apart. Set in Detroit in the 1960’s, Sparkle is a musical drama about fame and the hardships that may come along with it.
Rating: 2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: November 30, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 16+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Will Kids Like It? No
Talking Points:
The movie highlights the values of faith, family and love. The three sisters were supportive of one another, and always tried to help each other through difficult times.
The movie notes that sometimes fame can destroy a person, as it did with one of the girls, Sister. However the film also suggests that if we use our gifts to benefit others, as Sparkle did, then it’s worth pursuing.
The girls had an unusual relationship with their mother, Emma (Whitney Houston). Emma had a difficult life and made some poor choices. She was adamant about her girls not following in their mother’s footsteps.
There are some disturbing abusive scenes, and disturbing images of drug use. This could spark some good parent/child conversations of making the right choices.
Adults will like the 1960’s music.
Sexual Content: Moderate
- The girls wear very revealing dresses while performing. Sister believes her sex appeal is the key to their success.
- While performing Sister has many seductive moves as she caressed her chest and thighs. The camera zoomed in on the girl’s hips and chests. Men in the audience are cheering.
- Sister and Satin (her abusive husband) kiss passionately and talk about making love. Sister straddles him on a chair and says she “horny.”
- We see couples kissing at night clubs.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There are two fist fights.
- We see bruises on Sister’s face, it’s noted that Satin (her husband) had abused her.
- We see Satin chasing Sister around the house, then whipping her with a belt.
- The girls get into a fight with Satin. One of the girls hits Satin on the head with a fireplace rod.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- The s-word is said twice. “BS,” “d–n,” “h—,” and “a–,” are also used several times each.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Excessive
- Several character’s are shown smoking throughout the film.
- We see several characters’ drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Sister uses cocaine which we see on a mirror. It’s clear that she becomes addicted to the drug.
Overall I would say this is not a movie for kids. With the mature subject matter and images of drugs and physical abuse I would not recommend this for kids. Adults may find the storyline interesting, and enjoy the wonderful Motown tunes from the 1960’s.
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