Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Predictable rise-to-fame tale with gangs, drugs, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Sparkle (1976)
What's the Story?
Teenage SPARKLE (Irene Cara) dreams of stardom, and her boyfriend Stix (Philip Michael Thomas) is determined to make it happen by creating an all-girl singing act with Sparkle and her two sisters. The group is a success, but fame brings its own dangers, including unwanted attention from gangsters, ill-advised relationships with thugs, and the temptation of drugs. Yes, fame is at the end of this long and bumpy road, but it's not clear if eveyone in the film will make it there unscathed.
Is It Any Good?
Sparkle is an inspiring film, but also a predictable one. Cara and her sisters, especially Lonette McKee as the aptly-named Sister, shine on stage, and the musical numbers are excellent. Offstage, however, the story takes on a movie-of-the-week quality, as one character after another falls victim to the standard pitfalls of fame.
One gets involved with gangsters, another takes up with an abusive thug and gets hooked on drugs. Others give up on fame and decide to pursue other goals. Only Sparkle remains focused on her musical dreams, and after a second-act falling out, only Stix is there to guide her eventual rise to fame. The ending is satisfying, but was easy to predict almost from the very beginning.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the choices the three sisters make. How do the decisions they make affect their lives? How did Sparkle avoid the pitfalls her sisters didn't?
Do you think the film paints a realistic portrait of life in Harlem in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and the connection between the entertainment business and organized crime?
Do you think this story is ready for a modern-day remake? Who would you cast as Sparkle?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 7, 1976
- On DVD or streaming : January 2, 2007
- Cast : Irene Cara , Lonette McKee , Philip Michael Thomas
- Director : Sam O'Steen
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Home Video
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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