Now about this remake: With some changes in story and characterization, not to mention period and location, it's still about one young woman's dream of writing and singing good hit songs despite her mother's initial disapproval.
SPARKLE 2012 MOVIE
But her singing her one song here was still great so she left this viewer still wanting more from her though I know we'll just have her recordings and movie and TV appearances to look for now but that should be good enough considering how much she contributed to the entertainment world.
Houston, who was also one of the exec producers, is very good as the mother of the three daughters who initially form a girl group of singers even though I noticed that her speaking voice was now quite worn from her years of drugs. Last February 12, I reviewed the original Sparkle that starred Irene Cara in the title role and in which I noted Whitney Houston's death the previous day because of her role in the remake which I'm reviewing now. Reviewed by tavm 9 / 10 The late Whitney Houston did a fine farewell turn in Sparkle and star Jordin Sparks wasn't so bad, either An ambitious would-be manager, Stix (Derek Luke), persuades Sparkle and Sister to form a singing group with their sibling Dolores (Tika Sumpter), but while the act clicks wit audiences, the sisters have to contend with their angry mother, Sister gets caught up in a destructive relationship with a short-tempered comedian (Mike Epps), and Sparkle finds herself falling in love with Stix. But Sparkle persuades her older sibling Sister (Carmen Ejogo) to sing one of her tunes at a talent show, and the reaction proves that Sister has star quality and Sparkle can write potential hits.
Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) has been blessed with a beautiful voice and a gift for songwriting, but she's afraid to perform her songs in public, in part because her mother Emma (Whitney Houston), a former entertainer whose career brought her nothing but heartache, refuses to allow her daughters to sing outside of church.
A talented young woman is torn between her dreams and her family in this musical.