A MOVING STORY OF A MOTHER DRIVEN TO REACH THE HEIGHTS OF SUPER-STARDOM AT THE COST OF ABANDONING HER ONLY CHILD. THE FILM SPARKLES WITH KNOCKOUT VOCAL PERFORMANCES BY BOTH OF ITS STARS.
Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL Reviewed on 12/8/2024...
A very touching story. Diana Ross was very good in this but Brandy needs to stick with singing.
3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Elizabeth B. (bethieof96) from NINETY SIX, SC Reviewed on 1/28/2021...
The acting performance of Diana Ross was really good, it seems realistic, more then the one of Brandy but Brandy was not too bad. Their performance as singers were both really good, good music in this movie. If you are a fan of Diana Ross or Brandy you will love the movie.
4 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Diana Ross' return to acting
ianphillips@uk.dreamcast.com | BOLTON, LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND | 11/24/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Despite Soul music legend Diana Ross remaining the most successful female recording artist of all time (a total of eighteen U.S No. 1 hit titles to her credit) her movie career has not quite hit the heights of success it has often deserved though received an oscar nomination for her dynamic and powerful performance as Jazz/Blues legend Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues (1972). Since then shes appeared in the moderatley successful Mahogany (1975), The Wiz (1978) which was a commercial failure and deservedly won wide praise for her harrowing performance as a paranoid schitznophrenic in the acclaimed T.V movie, Out Of Darkness (1993). In Double Palatinum she starred alongside Teen R&B sensation Brandy. The story goes that Olivia (Diana Ross - the character is a mere imitation of the Ross mystique and legendary status) is a struggling lounge singer at a downtown nightclub who abandons her daughter Kayla (Brandy) to pursue her showbiz dreams. Flash foward 18 years later and Olivia is now a massive star to whom Kayla - who is still ignorant of her orgins and is embarking on her own singing career - goes to for advice. When Kayla finds out that Olivia is infact her mother she agrees to let Olivia introduce her to some useful contacts in the business and makes it clear that its purley to further hrown career and not to form a mother-daughter bond as Olivia hopes. Whilst being a predicatable story and the scripts certainly run through a fair few cliches, the film is saved by the dramatic and convincing performance of Diana Ross. Her heart is clearly in the role and she carries the film convincingly proving that she hadn't lost any of that dramatic acting power and dazzling on-screen presence that made Lady Sings The Blues such a success. Brandy also puts in a likeable performance and the two stars enjoy a number of dramtically moving scenes. A tear-jerking movie that has a predictable but lovely ending. Diana Ross and Brandy perform many songs off their current studio albums of the time and Diana Ross' performs the exciting He Lives In You with style and verve, backed by an effective South African orchestra and gospel-influenced backing singers. She also proves shes still a dynamic diva as she performs the rip-roaring dance number, Carry On during the awards ceremony sequences. Both Diana and Brandy perform a touching, sparkling ballad at the climax of the movie, Love Is All That Matters which closes the movie beautifully. This T.V movie often careers along like a soap opera and whilst you could argue that this is purley an old-fashioned tale thats been done countless times before, its such a joy to see Diana Ross back on the screen who makes the most of her role, biting into it with a venegance and displaying a raw, instinctive performance, proving her undoubted wide range of abilities. Fans of these two singers will most certainly be enthralled by both the film and its accompanying soundtrack. Defintley worth a look."
An Okay Movie!
May L. | USA | 08/13/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This was not the movie of the year, not bad but not good, it was okay. The story is du "Dejas-vu", very cliché. The acting performance of Diana Ross was good, it seem real, more then the one of Brandy but Brandy was not so bad. Their performance as a singner were both great, good music in this movie. If you are a fan of Diana Ross or Brandy you may love the movie, for others it's just a nice simple movie."
Good movie, bad DVD, some issues
Well, BLEEP You Too | A Southern Californian Forced into Washinton state | 05/06/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"For starters, The movie is in Full Screen. Although it was also in Full Screen on ABC, it was filmed in Widescreen, Region 2 in The UK has a full Screen DVD.
Back to the movie, Double Platinum is about singer Olvia King (Ross) Who chooses to leave her husband and newborn for a record deal. Years later when Kayla (Norwood) is a Teen, Kayla wins a Radio contest to meet Olivia, unknown they are mother and daughter where Olivia announces she's Kaylas mom and helps Kayla also become a star.
While The movie it's self is a great story, The music used is all from Brandy's 1998 Album "Never say never" and Ross' 1999 Album "Every day is a new day". the main problem with the movie is way too much lip syncing goes on
Given the fact that some scenes they're supposed to be performing live and recording the songs in the studio, an effort could have been made to make it seem more realistic.
Other than that, It's a must have for Brandy And Diana Ross Fans because it's a good movie. It just should have been in wide screen and feature more live singing"
Double whammy!
robert mofford | Vancouver, Canada | 12/13/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Being perhaps the ultimate Diana Ross fan I will admit i was strongly biased towards liking this movie. And I did. But on second and third viewings I found myself enjoying it just as much as I had the first time. Diana Ross is well, Diana Ross here, but she's also an acting talent to be reckoned with. She makes Olivia King an all-too-human, dimensional character pushing all the right emotional buttons. Her scenes with Brandy have a real emotional tension to them. Definitely makes one wonder why she hasn't had more of an acting career. She really is good here, objectively speaking.
I will admit to not being much of a Brandy fan before the film, and while I'm still not president of her fan club she won a lot of points with me here. She's a surprisingly good actress who holds her own with the formidable Diana.
And let's not forget the music. First rate all the way. Both dramatically and musically Diana and Brandy have done themselves proud in this outing. I recommend this movie wholeheartedly."
Great Music!
May L. | 03/21/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I enjoyed this movie, mainly because I really like Diana Ross and Brandy, and the music was sensational. However, I think the movie could have been done a little better. Everything happened too fast, and there were too many unanswered questions. Does Kayla get to be 18 years old and not even know her mother's name? Olivia's secretary comments on the fact that Olive has an entire file on Kayla and who her friends are, etc., and yet Olivia tells Kayla that her father never let her find her. So--where did the file come from? Where did Rick get his information on Olivia and Kayla to give to the tabloids? He didn't appear to be intelligent enough on his own to make the connection, since nobody else did. In spite of it, the music made the movie worthwhile. Hope to see more of Diana and Brandy--their voices are beautiful together!"