Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- heartfelt
- nostalgic
- melodramatic
- music movie night
- nostalgic evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film melodramatic and formulaic but credited Salim Akil's empathetic direction and committed performances with giving it emotional force.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sparkle writes songs and has a beautiful voice but is afraid to perform, while Emma forbids her daughters from singing outside church.
Sparkle, Sister, and Dolores form a singing group after a talent-show performance reveals Sister's star quality.
Emma's painful entertainment past leads her to restrict her daughters' ambitions despite their talent.
The film uses a girl-group career and Motown-era setting as the social and artistic environment for its music drama.
Films like Sparkle, and why
Dreamgirls
music-driven rise-to-fame drama centered on a female vocal group and family tensions
The Five Heartbeats
emotionally direct musical drama about women pursuing performance careers amid personal and social obstacles
The Temptations
period music drama combining romance, ambition, family conflict, and Black musical culture
Movie Details
- Director
- Salim Akil
- Release Date
- 2012-08-17
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (128)
Cast
- Jordin Sparks
- Whitney Houston
- Derek Luke
- Mike Epps
- Carmen Ejogo
- Tika Sumpter
- Omari Hardwick
- Cee Lo Green
- Curtis Armstrong
- Terrence J
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sparkle about?
- A gifted songwriter joins her sisters in chasing musical stardom while confronting family fear, romantic danger, and the costs of fame.
- What is Sparkle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sparkle as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Sparkle violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Sparkle as mild.
- What did critics think of Sparkle?
- Critics broadly found the film melodramatic and formulaic but credited Salim Akil's empathetic direction and committed performances with giving it emotional force.
- Which films are like Sparkle?
- Films with a similar feel include Dreamgirls, The Five Heartbeats, and The Temptations.
- How long is Sparkle?
- Sparkle runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sparkle?
- In United States, Sparkle streams on Hulu, Starz Apple TV channel.
