Sparkle - C+

Rated PG-13, 98 minutes

Best part of unoriginal "Sparkle" is music

Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston

“Sparkle” is the uneven, unoriginal new musical film starring “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks, Derek Luke, Mike Epps, Cee Lo Green and in her last on-screen (and singing) role, Whitney Houston. Unsurprisingly, the best thing about the film is the energetic music, with the thin story and acting lacking the pop of the brief musical numbers.  The film is actually a remake of the 1976 film of the same name, and with this version of “Sparkle” the film is set in the 1960s instead of the 1950s, and tells the story of the formation of a girl group in Detroit (Sparks, Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter). Sparkle (Sparks) is the real talent, a musical prodigy with a budding career, romance with her manager (Luke) and an overprotective single mother (Houston), though many issues threaten to tear her family apart.  “Sparkle” pops musically but otherwise lacks a dramatic shape under the direction of novice director Salim Akil, and while this could propel the lovely and talented Sparks’ music career, her acting lacks focus. The film, co-produced by Dallas minister TD Jakes, is designed to give a Jennifer Hudson-like boost to the somewhat bland Sparks, whose performance is overshadowed by the death of Houston, in a supporting role as Sparkle’s mother, not to mention newcomer Ejogo as her older sister.  The film will likely be a modest hit drawing Houston fans, and while she is a commanding presence, she isn't the main focus of the movie. In between the musical numbers, the film generates too many showiz cliches and will provoke too many comparisons to another flawed yet better showbiz tale "Dreamgirls," “Sparkle” isn’t as bright as it should be, but the music, featuring songs from the original film and some new ones, is the chief highlight and the real reason (outside of seeing Houston in her last role) to see the film.