1/5 All That Glitters Is Not Gold
  by Mr. Richard D. Coreno (Berea, Ohio USA)
Somewhere is the cogent idea to this 1990 follow-up to the classic Purple Rain. Unfortunately, it cannot be found in this weak script that is loosely taped together with numerous music videos.

Prince reprises his Purple Rain character, The Kid, who is now a performer and co-owner of a club, the Glam Slam, with his former rival (Morris Day). Business turns sour when The Kid is "asked" by his partner to pay shakedown money to the mayor. So, in a quest for truth, justice and full ownership of the club, The Kid challenges his business partner to a music battle.

The plans for the movie started in 1987, but delays - primarily due to casting problems - kept delaying its production. Prince was king with Warner Bros. due to his incredible marketing power of cross-promotion within many categories of pop culture. But the movie was a box office bridge to nowhere and showed that all that glitters is not necessarily golden when created by this incredible artist.



5/5 Way ahead of the juvenile Purple Rain
  by Said Head (MN, USA)
I always felt that PR was a rather tacky film; the only thing I did care about it was, of course, the music. That seemed to be the main reason I didn't try this movie, thinking it would be another PR. But that just isn't the case. Yeah, it's the sequel of sorts, but it's much less a movie about Prince/The Kid as was PR, and more Prince's music taking life on film. It takes on a musical film quality, too; instead of just seeing Prince and the Time on stage, you see music performed on the streets, atop buildings, and while that all may seem a little cliche, Prince's deliverence takes that cheapness away from the atmosphere.

Another point is that this movie is much classier; the music is more refined (though I'm sure many will disagree that the soundtrack is better than PR); there is no nudity only moments of suggestion, a very appreciated direction (the movie definitely has sexuality, but not so blatant); it's funny and often cute, but not corny (and Morris Day is perhaps the greatest, and oddest, villian ever); and it's a movie by/of Prince, so there really wasn't much of a third party to drag the film from his own vision. Honestly I probably can't say enough good things about it. Oh, and I may as well say that even though Prince once again wins over the bad with the projection of a strong ballad, it wasn't done in the uber-cheesy way that resolved Purple Rain.

And above all the movie really inspired me. Instead of Prince being torn between his music, sex, and a rival, in GB he struggles between his music, business, and love; it's to me the 'big picture' that The Kid from Purple Rain wasn't seeing. I really felt what Prince meant to do, to rise above the things that tear away and bite at art.

I do hope that people's reactions to this movie aren't the only reason keeping Prince from releasing any more of his alleged films. Each of his albums really are a story in their own right, and this film is a visualization of such a story. If Prince released a film for every album he made, I'd love them all just the way I love the music (though I think I'd feel a little differently toward the rhetorical film of his Come album).

3/5 Reflection
  by M. Rigdon (St. Louis, MO)
I like this movie more and more every time I watch it. By the end of the movie I'm always reflecting on my faith and how strong it really is and where the weaknesses are. I truly believe that control of our lives are with a higher power.

1/5 Crapfiti Bridge
  by butterfly princess (Oklahoma)
I love my Prince! I am the biggest Prince fan that I know. He gives excellent concert. I loved Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon but this movie, no way! I think that this must have been one those you need to make 3 movie obligations and Prince did like Marvin Gaye, just put something out to fulfill that obligation. I do like the songs but dang, this was just a bad movie.

1/5 BURN THAT BRIDGE!
  by Dawn Gagnon (SC)
Welllll here we go again...you know..I suffered through the viewing and loss of two hours of my life with Under the Cherry Moon, and then I saw this..Some actors can sing, and some singers can act..but I didnt see that singer in this film. I think whoever directed this movie was drunk, and they should have fired every single person in this film, starting with the "purple one". You know..atleast in Under the Cherry Moon, you got a bonus, a poorly acted death scene where Prince throws himself on the ground..no such luck in this movie! I tried to donate this movie to a charity that feeds the homeless, but they said the homeless wasnt "that" hungry..so I ended up using it for something to put my coffee cup on in the morning..dvds make great coasters especially the ones that suck.