Graffiti Bridge

1990 sequel

Rating: 7/20

Plot: The Kid, the one from Purple Rain, battles a nemesis for control of a club they share.

"Damn, this is embarrassing." I love when the characters write for me. This is written and directed by Prince who also stars, and he probably should have let other people do the writing, the directing, and the acting. He could have handled the stunt work, mostly the motorcycle riding. I have reasons to believe that the only reason this was made was so that Prince could ride around on a motorcycle again and show the world how he's sort of a bad ass.

There are a handful of nice musical bits, including appearances by Mavis Staples and George Clinton, but there's nothing even half as memorable or as electrifying as any single number in Purple Rain. And then you've got a story that is largely incoherent; weird sets, including the titular bridge which appears to be a cheap prop for a high school stage production of Graffiti Bridge; a weird performance by Morris Day who was probably just as bad in Purple Rain but I was too distracted by Prince's sex appeal to notice; and all kinds of lines or moments that make you wonder what the hell is even going on.

Purple Rain isn't a good movie, but it's got Prince's charisma to make it worth watching. There is nothing about this movie that makes it worth watching.