Sparkle

Tom Hunsinger and Neil Hunter's light-hearted tale has many positive attributes, though regrettably these are often marginalised. Sam (Shaun Evans) and his self-proclaimed ‘easygoing’ mother Jill (Lesley Manville) head to London to knock on opportunity’s door after a chance encounter with the lonely, limited yet loveable Vince (Bob Hoskins). Both hold ambitions that far outweigh any tangible talents, yet Sam’s youthful charm and lack of scruples seem set to yield rewards after another random meeting, this time with unsettled middle-aged professional Sheila (Stockard Channing).

However, his life is turned upside down once Kate (Amanda Ryan) enters his life. She is more interested in voluntary work and human rights campaigns than scheming in public relations, yet as her relationship with Sam develops their different career paths soon prove to be the least of their problems. As this provides the crux of the film, it is unfortunate that Sam often proves unbearably smug. Also, the emotional complexities of their respective familial dramas are underdeveloped and have nowhere near as much emotional impact as they ought to by the time the film reaches its prolonged conclusion. Still, there is plenty to like on the sidelines, most notably the stuttered romance between Jill and Vince, which packs tenderness into every risked glance and unsaid word. Keep an eye out to for Anthony Head, whose performance is filled with gleeful abandon as the wry half of a contented ‘civil partnership’.

There is a good film in here, with clever and humourous dialogue, yet ultimately it is hampered by focusing on characters that fail to sparkle instead of those with the potential to sizzle.