Who's In It?

Mariah Carey is Billie Franklin, Max Beesley as DJ Dice, Eric Benet as Cesar, Da Brat and Tia Texada.  

Who Made It?

Vondie Curtis-Hall

Where's The Web site?
Glitter

What's It About?

Billie Franklin (Carey) is talented.  She has a beautiful voice and her mother--a lounge singer, knows she will be a big star.  However, mom has a drinking problem.  Mom loses the house in a fire and decided the only way Billie can be someone is if she gives her up to an orphanage.  Fast forward to 1983 and Billie enjoys her club life until she is discovered by record producer.

There is only one thing wrong with this producer, he wants to use Billie's voice and pass it off as that of his girlfriend Silk.  A club DJ named Dice (Beesley) picks up on the gimmick and wants to produce Billie himself.  A deal is worked out, and now Billie is destined for stardom, or is she?  You'll have to see this film to find out if Billie Franklin's career will Glitter.

Common Guy's Thoughts

The following is open for debate, but I think most would agree.  Mariah Carey is a very good looking woman.  Mariah Carey sings very beautifully.  Now you could argue either of those points with me, but they are generally true.  I wish I could say more positive things about this film as it has a decent underlying message...but it is, just a mess in so many ways.

Glitter reminded me a lot of an extended episode of the television series Making the Band.  But Making the Band is so much better.  This is a film that should have probably been released direct to video and it wouldn't have disappointed so much.  Carey just seems very stiff in her role as Billie.  Even a scene while she is laying in bed next to Beesley just makes you feel that she is very uncomfortable.

The resulting film is not strictly the fault of Carey.  The film seems to hop back and forth between a lot of scenes that at sometimes seem very scattered at best.  It reminded me a lot of some bad TV shows and movies that I have seen in the past when they move from scene to scene.  It was hard to watch everything that went on in the film because of the total lack of flow in a film that seemed to want to tell many things that were all to real to Carey's real life. 

There was a bright spot for me in the film though as I thought that Eric Benet could have a future with some more small acting roles.  But other than that, I just can not recommend this film to virtually anyone as most aspects of it are just a mess.  Take your chances with Glitter if you must, but this film reinforces the saying "All that glitters, is not gold."

Grade

D

Parents Guide

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality, language and brief violence.  Young girls will want to see this film with the pop star Carey in the lead role.  Unfortunately, they threw a couple of aspects into this film that took it from a PG to a 13 rating.  Carey wears a number of skimpy outfits and even starts a love scene (though clothed) through some distorted doors.  The language and violence is a little surprising at times in this film as well.  Use discretion before turning the younger girls loose on this one.
 

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