SPARKLE

RYAN: I love music.  I love movies. I voted for Jordin Sparks when she won American Idol …throw in Whitney Houston’s last film performance and you’ve got one doozy of a movie!

CAROLINE: That is a lot of elements all at work there.  How was it?

RYAN: I really liked it.  It’s not what I expected, which was a real, like Broadway musical musical.  I mean, it’s still classified as the musical genre but it’s really a just a drama with music in it.

CAROLINE: That makes sense.

RYAN: The musical numbers don’t necessarily further the plot, lyrically, but they’re all really great.  This is a film about people who sing and they get complete songs throughout.

CAROLINE: Stop beating around the bush here.  How was Whitney Houston?

RYAN: OMG she was fabulous.  And it’s just so sad.  I was excited to see her in this but I wasn’t prepared for the emotional response.  It’s so bittersweet.  She’s so good.  She was so good.  You want more from her.  It’s sad.

CAROLINE: Yeah that is super sad.

RYAN: She has a line in the film where her character talks to her daughter about looking at her life as a cautionary tale and it was very heavy, in context.

CAROLINE: How was the rest of the cast?

RYAN: Jordin Sparks is spectacular.  She’s a triple threat.  She had done In the Heights on Broadway a while back and has had a couple other acting experiences and clearly those prepped her a lot.  But this, as a starring role…  She’s strong and exciting.  She carries the film.

CAROLINE: How about the supporting cast?

RYAN: Actually the casting is one of the best things about this film.  It’s really perfectly cast… every role.  The girls who play Jordin’s sisters, Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter are fierce.  Along with Jordin they are quite a trio.  I want them to put an album out, seriously.

CAROLINE: What about the dudes?

RYAN: Cee-Lo has a bit part and is fab.  Mike Epps is incredible.  He’s very Ike Turner in this.  And Derek Luke and Omari Hardwick are both hot and good.  Again… the casting in this film is killer.

CAROLINE: How was this as a whole period piece?

RYAN: Really good.  All the costumes, hair, makeup… the set design and everything really takes you back to the 60s.  The hair and costumes are brilliant, especially all of the performances costumes and wigs.  And Whitney looks sharp too.  Jordin has so many hair and costume changes, fun to see all of it.

CAROLINE: I love all that stuff.

RYAN: Remakes usually get a bad rap.  But I actually like this one better than the original.

CAROLINE: I never saw it.

RYAN: There are quite a few changes between the original and this remake but I really think all for the better.  It’s updated but still a period film.

CAROLINE: Sure.

RYAN: I kept wanting someone in the film to call Jordin “Sparks” but her nickname was “Spark.”  I know it’s random but I thought about it during the movie so had to share with you.

CAROLINE: How random yet insightful – into your mind.

RYAN: Because of Whitney, because of Jordin’s voice, because of all the music and the drama which really is riveting… I recommend this.

— RATING —