Look at all that purple in their souls! (CREDIT: Warner Bros. Pictures/Screenshot)
Starring: Fantasia Barrino, Phylicia Pearl Mapasi, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Halle Bailey, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Ciara, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Batiste, Louis Gossett Jr., David Alan Grier, Deon Cole, Tamela J. Mann, Stephen Hill, Elizabeth Marvel
Director: Blitz Bazawule
Running Time: 140 Minutes
Rating: PG-13 for Slaps, Threats of Gunfire, and References to Even Worse Abuse
Release Date: December 25, 2023 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Near the Georgia coast in the early 20th century, Harris sisters Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mapasi and Fantasia Barrino) and Nettie (Halle Bailey and Ciara) are each other’s best friends and dearest protectors. Love and support are valuable attributes for anyone, especially when you’re young, Black, and poor in the early 1900s. And they certainly need that connection when Celie is sold into an abusive marriage with Albert “Mister” Johnson (Colman Domingo), who is about as mean as they come. Nettie tries to move in with her sister to escape their abusive father, but Mister kicks her out, leaving Celie profoundly alone. But she gradually finds community in the colorful cast of characters who weave in and out of her small town, and she even eventually grasps a fair amount of independence for herself. All the while, she keeps Nettie in her heart despite all the forces trying to keep them apart.
What Made an Impression?: A Unlikely Dose of Fanservice: I must admit that I’m a bit of a Color Purple novice. I’ve never read Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, nor have I seen the Steven Spielberg-directed 1985 film. And I’ve never seen the musical production that premiered on Broadway back in 2005, which this film is most directly based upon. But I’m aware that it’s a deeply felt cultural touchstone for a lot of people. And that was abundantly clear at my screening, which featured one of the most receptive audiences I’ve been part of in quite a while. Seriously, the vibe was like the latest superhero movie on opening night, with the whoops and cheers crying out at every name in the credits, at the end of every musical number, and especially during a cameo appearance from one of the original film’s stars. While the crowd response made the power of this movie unmistakably clear, I like to think that I would have recognized it even if I’d been watching alone. After all, what we’ve got here is a simple formula, but an effective one: remain earnest and open-hearted in the face of the darkness, and your time will come.
Making a Meal Out of Their Characters: The current Color Purple cast has the benefit of audience members like me who are coming in fresh. But of course, they also have the disadvantage of everyone else who’s familiar with the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg in the original movie, or the likes of Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson in the stage version. Or in the case of Danielle Brooks, there’s the challenge of reprising a part she’s already played on the stage. Luckily, the biggest compliment I can deliver is that none of them are afraid to take on their assignments. The aforementioned Brooks and Taraji P. Henson both especially go for broke as the two biggest personalities in the ensemble, while Domingo finds shades of vulnerability in a monster. Meanwhile, David Alan Grier is predictably a wise old hoot as a local reverend. And as for Barrino, she capably handles the weight of a whirlwind of emotions on her shoulders and in the depths of her diaphragm. It all adds up to a balm for the soul.
The Color Purple is Recommended If You Like: Spiritual healing
Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Pants
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