'Sparkle': In Houston's swan song, a pleasing debut for Sparks ★★★

Warmly remembered corn, featuring some fantastic performers including Lonette McKee and Mary Alice, the first "Sparkle" (1976) starred Irene Cara as a mousy but learning-to-roar 15-year-old — one third of a late '50s sister act led by the hard-living smolderer played by McKee, whose character grappled with drug abuse, contended with an abusive boyfriend and battled relentless cliches in a heartbreak-and-triumph fairy tale whipped up by screenwriter Joel Schumacher. This was before the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls" pumped up similar material for its own purposes.

Michael Phillips

August 16, 2012