Maybe we should all leave the whistle tones to the expert… but her movie was never a success. Here’s how to watch Mariah Carey’s Glitter, and whether you actually should.
Mariah Carey’s vocals have always been a sweet sweet fantasy, but when it came to her film career, her first attempt isn’t exactly one of the best movies of all time.
You might remember her unrecognizable performance in 2008 movie Precious, but it was 2001 that saw her first take on a leading role. Although, you might not remember this at all… Glitter wasn’t exactly a box office hit.
Whatever you might think about the movie, the lore surrounding it is absolutely fascinating. And there’s even better news – you can catch Glitter on a streaming service right now.
How to watch
You can stream Mariah Carey’s Glitter on Apple TV+ through a monthly subscription.
Apple TV+ subscriptions start at $7.99 a month, but you could also be eligible for a free 7-day trial.
If you want to buy Glitter, you sadly don’t have any digital options, meaning your only option is a physical DVD… which is currently going for an average price of $18.
UK fans have a few more options – Glitter is available on both Apple TV+ and Prime Video.
However, there is a third alternative. We won’t tell you exactly where it is, but if you look hard enough on YouTube, you might be able to find the entire movie uploaded for free (clearly there are no copyright concerns around this one).
Is Glitter about Mariah Carey’s life?
Not exactly. According to Carey herself, Glitter “is not that autobiographical,” though it feels like there are similarities.
Carey was attached to the film – originally titled All That Glitters – in 1997, but put it on hold to release her #1’s collection that came out in 1998.
She told MTV in 2001 that she was “dying” to do a movie, adding that Glitter wasn’t autobiographical. “The girl is a singer, but it’s completely not my life. It kinda couldn’t be farther from my life.”
As guessed, Carey plays a young singer who overcomes a turbulent childhood and begins a volatile and precarious journey to superstardom in New York City.
However, only a year after Glitter was released, Carey revealed that she had regrets. “[The project] started out as a concept with substance, but it ended up being geared to 10-year-olds,” she told USA Today. “It lost a lot of grit. It was gritless, in fact. I kind of got in over my head.”
By 2006, co-stars were coming out in her defense after the movie was universally slated. Max Beesley told The Guardian Glitter “really showed her acting boots” in deleted scenes. “They just cut all that out, and I nearly cried when I saw it.”
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Does a Glitter album exist?
Yes… but it’s not straightforward. The album did release, but Virgin pulled the plug on Carey’s contract due to how poorly the movie performed at the box office.
Even when Glitter was still a mere idea, Carey knew she wanted to release an album alongside it, planning for it to be disco-led.
The end product was a departure from her typical 90s sound, and as a result, the album marked Carey’s lowest first-week record sales of her entire career. Virgin Records then dropped Carey from the label, buying her out of their $80 million contract.
Lead single “Loverboy” managed to make the top Billboard 100 in subsequent years, but no other singles held the same attention. In 2020, social campaign #justiceforglitter took off, resulting in the album being added to streaming services.
Recording wasn’t a simple process either. Carey ended up being hospitalized for “extreme exhaustion” leaving “erratic” messages and voice notes on her website.
“I’m trying to understand things in life right now and so I really don’t feel that I should be doing music right now. What I’d like to do is just a take a little break or at least get one night of sleep without someone popping up about a video. All I really want is [to] just be me and that’s what I should have done in the first place … I don’t say this much but guess what, I don’t take care of myself,” one read.
In 2018, it was revealed Carey had been diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder as a result.
Just because you can watch doesn’t mean you should
23 years after its release, Glitter has a 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics describing the movie as “washed-out” and “worthless.”
Tim Brayton at Antagony & Ecstasy wrote “Too washed-out and worthless to even be so bad it’s good.”
“The sheer amateur writing, acting, and directing make Glitter yet another disastrous vanity vehicle that brings down Carey and everyone starring,” Felix Vasquz Jr of Cinema Crazed added.
Christy Meire at Associated Press added “The best parts of this dud are the ones in which she’s singing. This is what she does best. This is what she should stick to. Save your money and watch her videos for free on cable music-television networks.”
A number of issues were cited as the reasons behind Glitter’s lack of commercial success including its release date – which was 10 days after the 9/11 attacks. “Nothing can overshadow the events that have gone on, and I need to stay focused on that,” Carey told press at the time.
In her 2020 memoir, Carey added it was “a collision of bad luck, bad timing, and sabotage.” She added she was “was really inhibited for many reasons by the acting coach.”
If Glitter isn’t enough drama for you, check out new movies and new movies streaming this month. You can also take a look at the best rom-coms of all time.
