54
Metascore
28 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsChicago TribuneMichael PhillipsMost of the stuff that's new in the new Sparkle, written by Mara Brock Akil (who is married to the director), is shrewd and cleverly considered. The stuff that's old is what people responded to back in '76.
- 70Arizona RepublicArizona RepublicSparkle is pure melodrama, but it's a high-powered, well-acted, entertaining melodrama. You may not always believe it, but you won't be bored.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyThe Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyThe look, styles, dialogue and attitudes all feel more 21st century than 1968, but this new Sparkle still sparkles more brightly than its 1976 namesake, which was a sort of rough draft for Dreamgirls.
- 63Boston GlobeWesley MorrisBoston GlobeWesley MorrisIt's a better movie than what's inspired it, but that fails to explain much. It's like preferring the line at the concession stand to the one for the bathroom.
- 60New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanA strong cast, empathetic direction and memorable soundtrack help create a movie that does everyone proud.
- 50Slant MagazineSlant MagazineWhitney Houston's death is just about the only thing that gives the film real, albeit mostly unintentional, life.
- 50Village VoiceMelissa AndersonVillage VoiceMelissa AndersonThe forebear's underwritten melodrama has been supplanted by Tyler Perry–like soap operatics and much jawing about the Lord, riots in the Motor City, marriage proposals, and maternal heartbreak and disapproval.
- 25Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversWhitney Houston deserved better than to go out onscreen with this botch job remake of a 1976 soap opera that never deserved another thought.