Glitter

Glitter is a 2001 American romantic musical drama film starring Mariah Carey and rapper Da Brat, written by Kate Lanier, and directed by Vondie Curtis Hall. Set in 1982, Carey plays Billie Frank, an aspiring singer who, along with her friends Louise (Da Brat) and Roxanne (Tia Texada), is a club dancer. Timothy Walker (Terrence Howard) offers them a contract as backup singers/dancers to another singer. In the premiere of the song they recorded, Billie meets Julian "Dice" Black (Max Beesley), who is a DJ in a night club, and helps her in her solo career. In the process, Billie and Dice fall in love with each other.

Carey began working on a film and soundtrack project titled All That Glitters in 1997. However, during that period, her label Columbia Records pressured her to release a compilation album in time for the holiday season in November 1998. Consequently, Carey put All That Glitters on hold. Following this, she aimed to complete the film and album project for the summer of 2001. Shooting began in Toronto and New York at the end of September 2000. Carey used the time to work on the soundtrack of the film, along with Eric Benét and Da Brat, who also appeared on the film.

The film was released on September 21, 2001, ten days after the release of the accompanying soundtrack on September 11, 2001. Before its release, Carey was suddenly hospitalized, citing "extreme exhaustion" and a "physical and emotional breakdown". Due to this, the film and its soundtrack were postponed for three weeks. Glitter was a major commercial failure and critical flop. Reviewers were highly disappointed with the film, and Carey's performance as an actress was considered by many to be amateur. This also caused the film to receive negative commentary along social media sites, with Carey herself later admitting that she regretted being part of the film. Some went on to call it one of the worst films ever made. Glitter opened in 1,996 American theatres, and grossed $2.5 million in its first week, with a worldwide total of $5.3 million. The soundtrack of the film had some commercial success and went on to sell three million copies worldwide, considerably less compared with Carey's previous releases.

Plot
In the 1970s, Lillian Frank is a performer at a nightclub. Lillian tries to rouse the crowd with her torch song, "Lillie's Blues", with her daughter Billie Frank accompanying her on vocals. The plot fails and Lillian is fired. Lillian feels defeated and lights a cigarette, accidentally falls asleep with it and starts a fire, causing the building to be evacuated. Due to her mother's actions, Billie is fostered.

Years later, in 1983, the adult Billie is a club dancer along with her foster-care friends Louise and Roxanne. They meet Timothy Walker, who offers a contract as backup singers and dancers to the singer Sylk and the three are contracted. Later at a nightclub hosted by Julian "Dice" Black, Sylk debuts "All My Life". Dice discovers that Billie is the real singer of the song, as a means to cover up Sylk's abysmal singing ability. Impressed, he wishes to produce her but Billie raises concerns about her contract with Timothy and he eventually agrees on the provision that Dice pays him $100,000.

Billie and Dice start working on songs. Ultimately they sign with Guy Richardson of a major record label. With success in their hands, he asks her up to his apartment and they have passionate sex. Billie's first major single, "Loverboy", is a success. Billie is called to perform at an awards, where she meets singer Rafael. Billie gets a threat from Timothy concerning the debt that Dice failed to pay. Billie, upset about how Dice lied about her contract and his arrest, argues with and leaves him. Following the break-up, Billie collaborates with several songwriters, including Rafael, with whom she makes another hit single, "Want You", and her debut album becomes a massive success.

Billie begins writing a song on her own, due to her emotional pain. Dice also misses Billie, and also begins writing a song. Billie goes to Dice's apartment to reconcile with him but discovers he is not home. Billie discovers that the music he has written, and realizes they wrote the same song: "Never Too Far", and kisses his music sheet. Dice, upon seeing her lipstick prints on the sheet, plans a reconciliation, but is shot dead by Timothy. Before playing at Madison Square Garden, Billie sees the news report of Dice's death, and onstage after, commands the band to stop playing "Loverboy". She tells the audience not to take the ones they love for granted, and she then starts to sing "Never Too Far". Afterwards, Billie reads a note Dice had left her, where he tells her that he loves her and that he has found Lillian. Billie's limo takes her to the secluded rural property where she is happily reunited with her mother once again.

Cast

 * Mariah Carey as Billie Frank
 * Isabel Gomes as young Billie
 * Max Beesley as Julian "Dice" Black
 * Terrence Howard as Timothy Walker
 * Da Brat as Louise
 * Lindsey Pickering as young Louise
 * Tia Texada as Roxanne
 * Courtnie Beceiro as young Roxanne
 * Eric Benét as Rafael
 * Valarie Pettiford as Lillian Frank
 * Ann Magnuson as Kelly
 * Dorian Harewood as Guy Richardson
 * Grant Nickalls as Jack Bridges
 * Padma Lakshmi as Sylk
 * Kim Roberts as Miss Wilson
 * Bill Sage as Mr. Frank