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Salim Akil's film is a loose remake of the long-forgotten ’76 film of the same name, a semi-fictional biopic of The Supremes.

This version tells the same well-worn story: aspiring singer/songwriter Sparkle (American Idol alum Jordin Sparks) forms a girl group with her sisters during the Motown era and faces various hardships while her church-y mom (Whitney Houston) frets away about her babies’ future.

Much crying ensues.

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Houston, in her final role, shows a surprising amount of emotional depth.

Still, Sparkle isn’t Dreamgirls – but fans of schmaltzy showbiz fairytales should enjoy it.

Ken McIntyre is a freelance writer who has spent years covering music and film. You'll find Ken in the pages of Total Film and here on GamesRadar, using his experience and expertise to dive into the history of cinema and review the latest films. You'll also find him writing features and columns for other Future Plc brands, such as Metal Hammer and Classic Rock magazine.