Glitter

Plot synopsis:
In the nightclub scene of the 1970s New York City, a multiracial young girl, Billie, born to a Caucasian father and an African-American mother, is taken away from her alcoholic, lounge singer mother after she is deemed irresponsible to raise her and Billie's estranged father wants nothing to do with either one of them. Billie spends the rest of her teenage years in an orphanage.Years later (in 1983), the 19-year-old Billie (Marah Carrey) works as a nightclub dancer along with her foster-care friends Louise and Roxanne. They meet Timothy Walker (Terrence Howard), a record promoter who offers the three of them a contract as backup singers/dancers to the singer Sylk. Initially, Billie refuses, hoping to achieve stardom on her own terms. After pestering from her friends, Billie relents and the three are contracted. They record the hit single, "All My Life" but Sylk's vocal is sub-standard. To maximize sales based on the sex appeal of Sylk, Timothy asks Billie to sing while Sylk lip-syncs.Later at a nightclub, Billie sings Sylk's song which gets her noticed by the club DJ, Julian "Dice" Black, during the public debut of "All My Life". Dice, knowing that Sylk is an indifferent singer, is shocked by the arrangement, but goes backstage to congratulate Billie for singing the song. Sylk insults her backup singers in front of a photographer and Billie, not wanting to take the verbal abuse, exposes Sylk by singing "All My Life" a cappella in front of Dice. Impressed, he wishes to produce her, but Billie turns him down, thinking that he wants to exploit her talent. When Billie relents after Dice pesters her, she raises concerns about her contract with Timothy. Dice threatens to not play any more artists from Timothy in his nightclub unless Timothy surrenders Billie and her friends' contacts. Timothy eventually agrees on the provision that Dice pays him $100,000.Billie and Dice start working on songs: the first being the hit underground single, "Didn't Mean to Turn You On". Dice advises Billie to play off record companies to secure a bigger deal. Ultimately they sign with Guy Richardson of a major record label. With success in their hands, Dice asks Billie to dinner. Later, he asks her up to his apartment and they sleep together.Billie's first major single, "Loverboy" is a success. The music video originally features Billie, Louise, and Roxanne. However, the director, dissatisfied with the results, orders Billie to wear more revealing clothing and replaces Louise and Roxanne with professional semi-nude male dancers. When the male dancers are then ordered to dance closely to Billie, this frightens her. Dice intervenes on her behalf, and they leave the set before the music video can be finished.Dice is denied permission to produce songs on Billie's debut, including "Reflections", which Billie wrote about her mother. Billie is called to perform at the USA Music Awards, where she meets singer/songwriter Rafael. Later at the party, they meet again, and Rafael suggests they write a song. Dice orders Billie and her friends to leave, accusing Rafael of sexual advances towards Billie. Louise and Roxanne give Billie an ultimatum: them or Dice, but leave before she can choose. Billie cries, but is comforted by Dice as she laments "If you didn't believe in me, none of this would have ever happened."The reconciliation is short-lived as Billie gets a threat from Timothy concerning the 100K debt that Dice failed to pay. Billie tells Dice that Timothy was at their apartment about his debt and her contract. She is confused because she thought he had handled her contract properly. She admits to Dice that Timothy threatened her and Dice, in a rage, puts Timothy in the hospital. In the middle of the beating, Dice is arrested, causing Billie to leave her appearance on Late Night Live to bail him out. Billie, upset about how Dice lied about her contract and his arrest, argues with and leaves him. With nowhere to go, she goes back to live with Roxanne and Louise.Billie tries to deal with the pain by creating the single "Want You", with Rafael, which is a hit, but her emotional pain leads her to solo songwriting. Dice also misses Billie, and also begins writing a song. Billie goes to Dice's apartment in an attempt to reconcile. He's not home, but the music he has written is and Billie realizes they wrote the same song: "Never Too Far". She kisses the sheet music, leaving a lipstick imprint, which Dice later discovers. Dice plans a reconciliation, but is shot dead by Timothy. Billie's management and support crew see a report of the murder on television. They wonder if Billie was with him, they see that she is there and has seen the report. Billie onstage commands the band to stop playing "Loverboy," tells the crowd never to take someone for granted, and that if you love them, you should tell them, because you might never have the chance to tell them how you really feel. She then starts to sing "Never Too Far".Afterwords, Billie reads a note Dice had left her, where he tells of his love for her, his plan to see her perform and that he has found Billie's mother. Billie's limo takes her to the secluded rural property where she is united with her mother once again.

Tags: cult, murder, sentimental

Review:
It's yet another rewrite of "A Star Is Born", here turned into a vehicle for pop star Mariah Carey and apparently patterned after her own rise to the top (audiences weren't fooled, however, by the updated, late-night-movie clichés).
Carey's funky/erotic music is driving (and her performance as blazing new talent Billie Frank is adequate), but the script for "Glitter" seems left over from the 1950s.
Actresses of a lot higher caliber than Mariah Carey have fallen into this trap--they just don't want to see themselves on the screen acting bitchy and tough, so they end up playing the simp.
I don't know how many of you have ACTUALLY seen this movie but I recently rented it out of morbid curiousty and a sadistic love of BAD cinema (and of course making fun of it)...
only the most inept movie fan or an insanely die hard Mariah Carey fan could ignore the gaping holes in plot, directions, style, and acting that Glitter presents.
What makes Glitter a bad movie is that it's a bland, soulless procession of clichés, exactly like Mariah Carey's songs.
The only element of this movie that satisfies my so-bad-it's-good criteria is the character of Mariah's boyfriend.
I hope my death will be quick and painless when the Mariah-thing comes to reap my soul.By the way, I really didn't like this movie at all..
Simple rule, if you are going to make a movie vehicle for a non-actor, surround them with some good actors, so if they turn out to have all the acting ability of a tin of tuna, you still have some hope of making the movie just bad, rather than bowel clenchingly awful.
Even though I am a huge Mariah Carey fan, this movie was a very nice tale that had many links back to Carey's own biography, which interested me more.The music (soundtrack) was superb and I've watched/listened to the movie countless times.
All the characters acting was high quality (except for a couple of cheesy instances) and their lives were interesting.It made me laugh and cry, but mainly, it made me smile.A lot of people are quick to judge a movie simply because it has the "Mariah Carey" name on it (whether good or bad).
I honestly feel had Jennifer Lopez been in the starring role as opposed to Mariah Carey, no one would have had a problem with the film.
Now I'm not saying that this review is completely un-biased, after all, I'd been brought up on a healthy diet of Mariah Carey, but I did rent this movie a few weeks ago (it being not released to cinema) due to pure curiosity.The multi-octave song-bird's film vehicle (originally titled 'All That Glitters...
Cut to the next few shots where Billie's mother tries to get money from Billie's father, before giving her up to an adoption agency.Fast-foward to the bright and bouncy 1980's where all-grown-up Billie (the aforementioned Carey) is dancing in a club with her two best friends Louise and Roxy (Da Brat and Tia Texada), who are soon offered as back-up singing gig for no-talent, good-looking up-and-comer Sylk.
Billie's voice completely spellbinding - and chooses to use her voice instead of the God-awful voice that the main singer is belting out.A recording of a song entitled "All My Life" is handed to a Club DJ - DJ Dice to be exact (British actor Max Beesley who puts on a 'wigga' accent - sometimes really good, other times really bad) who plays it and instantly falls in love with the vocals.
So the Dice & Billie end up becoming good friends and record a song, "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On", and it is played for music executives, and before you can change the butt groove in your seat, Billie is signed to a major record label.Of course, the road to musical superstardom is not an easy one and Billie has several troubles - the video director for her first single "Loverboy" wants her to parade around in nothing but a piece of string (Billie minds, Mariah wouldn't) and there's also the little problem of her undeniable attraction to Dice.
From the pumping 80's tracks (Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, Didn't Mean To Turn You On, All My Life) to the gorgeous Mariah-like ballads (Lead The Way, Reflections and especially Never Too Far) plus the Eric duet 'Want You' and the Ja Rule infected 'If We' - it's just as good as her previous efforts.Overall, 'Glitter' IS a film that the troubled songbird should be proud of.
Yes i've read the critics,and i think all who wrote bad things about the movie really didn't understand it.It is a movie that i want to see again and again.Yes, i am a huge Mariah fan but i will analyse this movie in cold blood.Indeed the acting is sometimes bad,and what do you expect, she is a singer after all.Still this doesn't make an obstacle in seeing the movie,that flows like juice in a glass.The movie is relaxing ,the songs are good, and if you love Mariah, you will love to see a part of her life at TV.I understand that she was upset after the movie, it was not the critics that upset her.It was the fact that she put a part of her life in this movie and most of the world didn't appreciate it..
I think people are just dissing this movie because it has Mariah Carey in it.
And regardless of what the so-called critics (Hey, I wonder how anyone even becomes a critic???) said about it, I believe Mariah Carey did very good in Glitter.
Her acting came across very believable, I mean when you think about it here we have a singer acting in a movie about not just a singer, but one in the time line in which she lived....duhhh???,at least she stuck to what she knew unlike some actors I know.
Now maybe  parts of the script weren't that great, but then many movies with good actors are not going to be billed that good, and the first ones people want to blame is the actors, because they are the ones who have to carry the vehicle.
Seeing 'Glitter' with an open mind, despite its notoriously awful reputation, it is not quite as horrendous to be down there with the worst films of all time, but the problems 'Glitter' has are plentiful and are significant enough to consider it a very bad film still.The good news is that Mariah Carey does sound absolutely incredible, always have loved her voice with its beautiful tone, emotional connection and uniquely wide range.
Also Terrence Howard is quite good and steals scenes.However, Carey's enviable skills as a singer does not translate in her skills as an actress, it was really strange that an artist with such a huge vocal range (five octaves!) is the complete antithesis in her very one-note and often expressionless acting here, which is devoid of any joy, surprise, sincerity or emotion.
The rest of the acting is also poor, with Max Beesley being equally lousy and not sounding sure what accent to pull off, while with the characters Carey's is shallow, one-dimensional and very difficult to relate to (which is a huge dividend considering the type of story it is) and the rest are annoying caricatures, a couple even irrelevant to the story.Even for a film set in the 80s, 'Glitter' does much less than glitter and looks firmly stuck in the 80s.
Glitter (2001)* (out of 4)Mariah Carey pretty much plays herself in the story of a poor girl who grew up without her parents only to work really hard and eventually make it to the top.
Mariah played the character Billy Frank who not only wanted to make it big in the music industry, but who also was looking for someone to lean on.
I'm not a big Mariah fan but lets face it the movie wasn't bad.
Sure it isn't necessarily Oscar material, but it isn't trash either..I believe that this film is actually quite entertaining and is as Ms. Carey once stated that it was a period piece..thus the 80's styled music for which she was also savagely ripped..But sometimes timing can also make all of the difference as this movie opened on or around the time of "911" which also lead to its demise..But it is harmless entertainment which has now found its audience in video and DVD and can still be enjoyed...Besides I have seen far worse acting - does the name Whitney Houston ring a bell...
Mariah Carey is the worst "actress" ever to appear in a movie since time began and should be banned from the film industry for all-time.
Having set through the entire thing, I am only left to wonder what the people responsible for this film hoped to accomplish, and if they succeeded, how low the movie industry has come.
i think a lot of people just don't like it because Mariah Carey is in it, and singers who try to act get a bad rep.
Good movie, great music, Mariah not a terrible actress.
If you like the kind of music Mariah Carey is known for, "Glitter" delivers.
But Mariah is one of the few singers of her style I can stand to listen to, and given that this style of music would be dominant in this movie, I actually found myself enjoying it.
All the musicians were talented--except, of course, Sylk--who was secretly replaced by the phenomenal Billie as lead singer and didn't seem to know it as her mike was turned down and Billie's was turned up.I didn't think this movie was so bad overall.
Some bad movies, such as Showgirls or Mommie Dearest, become camp classics over time as people come to forgive their shortcomings, and just groove on their excesses.
Sometimes, with a film project, it's just the wrong mix of talent for that particular project.I don;t know why this one didn't, but I must say that I did enjoy watching Mariah Carey and watching her sing.
Maybe another movie at another time.The movie stars Mariah Carey, Max Beesley, Da Brat, Tia Texada and Ann Magnuson.
Pretty much how you want to treat this movie.Don't get me wrong, Mariah Carey, back when this was made, was truly one of the most beautiful people that I had ever laid eyes on.
So many people carry that thought with them, and were automatically disgusted (before they even watched the film) with the so-called 'woah is me' concept they THOUGHT Mariah was trying to present.Ms. Carey definitely has potential to become a greater actress - in the no time she would be much better than most of the actresses in TV series.
ok ok, i am aware that some of you have it in for Mariah, and that before this tape even hits the VCR you're screaming "IT SUCKS!" , but i believe that you actually have to WATCH the movie before you can hate on it.
But back to Glitter, it you aren't a slightly wistful person with even a grain of imagination don't waste your time, but if you truly believe that along with the bad comes the good and that miracles really do happen, watch it, and forget what everyone else said, make up your own mind..
I love Mariah and I feel that she was blinded by the opportunity to star in her own movie, but nobody else really cared about making a good movie.
this one was in a bus, and I have to say that it's, tied with an Olsen twins movie, the worst flick I have seen in a vehicle, of course that I can't remember a worst movie in any situation, maybe Jim Carrey's "Liar, Liar", but is hard to say.Mariah Carrey and company acting suck, well I think that is obvious that the so called "singers" can't act, ask Jessica Simpson, or Britney Spears, but well Hollywood won't change.Don't watch it, if you're in a vehicle, you can't sleep, and is passing this, protest, brake something, I don't know do something 'cause this is awful..
But the acting could have been better and the pairing of Mariah and that other guy as her love interest was not very good(he stunk).Her best friends were at the only other good thing about the movie; they were hilarious.
Mariah Carey fans, if you don't want to be desesperated by your favorite singer, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE!.
I am a huge fan of Mariah and I really love her music that are featured in this movie..
Other than that it is just awful.Billie Frank(Mariah Carey) plays a mixed raced women who was doing her own thing with her friends when she was approached by a DJ about having to produce her, her career begins to fly, but the worse thing about this movie is Mariah's performance.
If you want to see this movie, do it at your own risk, but your wasting your time.I can't wait to see Mariah Carey, try her acting chops again in her new movie "Tennesse" 4/10.
if the people or the artist seems fake in the movie , it probably has been done like that for a reason, people were fake in that time in that kind of club scene , and they actually still are.
so it is all a matter of tasteglitter is a great movie in my opinion, i would recommend it to anyone because it shows the real life of how musicians live and their dreams to become recognized and how they reach the top with ups and downs.i think the movie was not accepted so well , because Mariah played herself , and people were expecting world wonders .
Nor will I hide the fact that I think most people are unfair to her these days, and it is because of this bias from the public (instigated heavily by the media) that I fear she has not been given a fair chance with this film.As a movie fan, not as a Mariah fan, I loved this movie.
This movie got many bad reviews by critics, but they shouldn't blame Mariah Carey for it.
I always get a good laugh off negative reviews of this movie because I know it's just bandwagon thinking: If the star hadn't been going through personal drama at the time it was released, or if it had featured ANYone else, it wouldn't get anywhere near the hate it does.
No Way is This Movie That Bad. I cannot believe the ton of negative reviews about this film.
Sure, it's not the best film ever made--far from it--but the story isn't that bad, the acting isn't terrible, and the production quality is just fine.
i love this movie, glitter, i really do not understand all the bad press over it...i mean most of the people that have negativity towards it most likely havent even seen it......its not no oscar award winning movie but it is a good fun movie which..it even had some sad parts in it that made me cry.....so like i said this is a great movie i have watched it so many times and it is definetly my favoritve :).
Mariah was wonderful in this movie..the acting was great, the plot, and the conclusion.
Mariah Carey: The Movie.
Michael Jackson in 'Miss Cast Away' or Elvis Prestley in all of his (how many?) films.Britney Spears did okay in 'Crossroads' and Mariah Carey does a decent job as the hard working girl trying to reach the stars.I've seen worse movies than 'Glitter', maybe because of all the bad reviews I've read.
This is just a movie for little girls that are huge fans of Mariah Carey.
So if you want to finish up the movie and leave your television stand with ANY respect for Mariah Carey at all, my advice is to pop in a good hour of Crossroads before going forth the ever-so-arduous task of sitting through Glitter.
I am not a Mariah Carey fan but I actually liked this movie.
I have read the reviews of this movie and they come in two kinds: (1) It is an absolute piece of crap (this accounts for 99% of the reviews) and (2) I am a Mariah Carey fan and no matter what you guys say, I love it.
Although I'm not the greatest fan of Mariah, i decided to check this movie out to see if it was as bad as people made it out to be...and was it???
Each scene with them is sparkling and Mariah actually looks more comfortable with them than with any of the other actors.What other things sparkle in this movie?
I thought that it was a good acting debut for Mariah and I watch Glitter whenever it's on HBO.
This isn't an instant movie classic, but then it surely ain't as bad as the majority of critics want you to believe either.One thing that probably should be mentioned is that Glitter is not a film to watch if you want something so bad you can laugh at it.
Mariah actually did a good job in this movie, too bad the press didn't give it a chance.
Glitter lacks anything resembling a sparkle, and, as a movie star, Mariah Carey is the equivalent of a black hole..
In addition, "Glitter" itself isn't all that much fun to watch: Sure, it's a bad movie, but it's mostly just mediocre, bland and overlong, so it's not as much fun as one would think.
While it does play like a TV movie, I hardly think this is AS bad as it's reputation will lead you to believe.
I can't help but feel that Mariah's breakdown, the untimely release of Glitter near 9/11 and the bad luck of singers turned actresses all played a part in making Glitter one of the most derided movie of all time.
Carey isn't that bad in this movie as considered by many critics for her acting to be amateur; I think opposite of what critics say.