CINEMA: Sparkle

Back in 2001 writing/directing partners Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger produced ensemble movie Lawless Heart. Now six years later they have redeveloped and refined some of the themes which ran through that movie and have created another ensemble piece with a far more complicated storyline. In fact, Sparkle has multiple storylines that run parallel to eachother through the film until all coming together in a very satisfying manner at the end.At the heart of the film is the character of Sam (Shaun Evans) an ambitious young man who wants to make his mark on the world. When he leaves Liverpool for London, his mum Jill (the great Lesley Manville) comes too and they move into the spare flat of Vince (Bob Hoskins), a real gentleman.

Sam is introduced to the older, professionally successful Sheila (Stockard Channing) and starts an affair with her, but then he meets the lovely Kate (Amanda Ryan) and falls for her too, while all the while shy Vince adores Jill from afar. So far, so understandable, but things get much more complicated before sorting themselves out and the film may have benefited from losing at least one story strand. It’s also a little self-conscious, but it has a sweet nature with each of the characters just looking for love, or trying to preserve the love they already have, however imperfect it may be. Lesley Manville should now be considered a national treasure – her performances are always so well judged and would-be singer Jill (whose ambition outweighs her talent) is no exception, while it is a great pleasure to see Bob Hoskins playing a straightforwardly nice guy rather than a gangster of some sort.     Dee Pilgrim