Sparkler

I avoided this movie for the longest time because of the video box, which prominently features Jamie Kennedy and Freddie Prinze Jr. Ugh. However, upon renting it, I was pleasantly surprised. It's actually a unexpectedly entertaining, well-written and acted indie film about a trailer trash chick who dumps her loutish husband and searches for independence. Along the way, she meets up with the before-mentioned teen hearthrobs and acts as a catalyst for their own personal growing experiences. The director imbues his material with a caustic, cynical edge which is refreshingly unique for this type of film, and thankfully prevents it from degenerating into sappy, maudlin Oprah-style "I am woman hear me roar!" melodrama. Park Overall is excellent in the title role, but the real surprise here is Veronica Cartright - who demonstrates more of the comic genius she displayed in "The Witches of Eastwick." Some of her lines had me rolling on the floor.

Boy..what a surprise this flick is. If you are very young or old fashioned, forget it, but if you can handle doses of poverty, abuse,drinking,gambling,dancing girls,sex,travel,mistrust,lesbianism,homosexuality...well....you get the picture (no pun intended). This remarkable film hits a lot of spaces that you and I have travelled in. While the story line is fairly common, it is so well done, that this movie grabs you without you even realizing it at first. Park Overall is the recognizable star here and does her usual good turn, but this movie is "STOLEN" by a phenomenal (and believable) performance by actress Veronica Cartwright (whom I have never heard of) in the role of Dottie Delgado, a Las Vegas showgirl (of sorts), who was a high school classmate of the star (Park). She is mesmerizing in a role that calls for an honesty all it's own. You'll see what I mean when the movie moves on to Las Vegas. It is worth watching this film if only for the Delgado role, but it has it's own icing on the cake in the end, when Ms Overall bring a jolt of "pay-back" to her wandering husband ( a "Trailer trash" jerk). Go for it, and I feel that you'll wind up agreeing with me. For the record, I have an "excellent" ability to spot "enteraining" movies.

From Darren Stein- who would direct 'Jawbreaker' a year later- comes an odd and likable little movie called 'Sparkler'. Young Mr. Stein has a distinct style, although he has yet to make a truly good movie. He doesn't seem quite capable of pulling together an entire, cohesive film, but both of his movies thus far bear his slightly weird and skewed surrealism. The title refers to the film's main character, Melba May, a middle-aged trailer park princess with dreams of getting out and a husband who nails any and every woman he can get to lie down. She stumbled across three young men at a run-down bar. They are on their way to Vegas to raise rent money. One is Trent, a pie-in-the-sky innocent capable of admiring Melba May's seedy, self-delusional glamour. He is the one who nicknames her Sparkler, and Jamie Kennedy is so cute and lovable in his quirky way that it's impossible not to like him. The other two are more cynical- Joel, dealing with his repressed homosexuality, and Brad, (played by Freddie Prinze Jr. in his only standout performance besides the one he gave in 'The House of Yes') a boy trying to be a Hollywood agent so frightened by life that he has to hide behind bluster and sneers. A lost earring and Brad's business card sends Melba May after them. She wins them their rent money, tracks down her showgirl friend Dottie, and is relentlessly persued by her trailer-trash husband because, unbeknownst to her, she's won a million dollars in the sweepstakes. This is a movie that is probably best characterized as a black comedy, as it deals quite frankly with several unsavory and potentially offensive topics but does so with a sense of humor. It has an odd brand of charm, but it's charm all the same.

"Sparkler" is a shoe string indie shot in Vegas which throws a bunch of characters from a low life trucker and his wife to a three young broke guys from L.A. to a stripper to a drag queen, etc. into the plot and then struggles for coherence. Buried in this mess of nonsense is a somewhat sentimental story trying to get out. Unfortunately, the real story, which Overall (the title character) almost brings to life, is buried so deep in a lame production that's for most it will never be realized. It took a lot of patience to sit through this film and in the final analysis the liabilities outweighed the assets.

I watched the movie, not by choice and I liked it! Though parts of the movie at times had that B flick actor/actress quality, it did have a unique plot.

I also started searching for the soundtrack and have been unsuccessful. Though Deborah Falconer has released an cd entitled: Brave Like Me with a song titiled (CD Release Date: 7/22/2003): "Show of Hands", it is not the same song as in the movie. I would appreciate any comments or links to a site that offers to sale the Sparkler soundtrack. Or, I would be willing to buy a copy from anyone interested offering?

"Show of Hands" Written by Deborah Falconer Performed by Deborah Falconer