Directed By Blitz Bazawule; Screenplay By Marcus Gardley; Starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.
Based on Marsha Norman, Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell, and Allee Willis’ 2005 Tony-winning stage musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Color Purple follows Celie Harris Johnson (Fantasia Barrino), an African-American woman struggling to live in the South during the early 20th century. She’s faced many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
I’ve never read the original novel, but I do have quite a bit of familiarity with this property. My first big introduction to the story was from having seen Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film adaptation when I was in high school, and absolutely adored it. I was lucky enough to have caught the most recent Broadway revival the Friday night before the 2016 Tony Awards. Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Celie was every bit as incredible as everyone said she was, and probably even more so. When she came to me at the stage door afterwards, I told her how much I loved her work. She not only thanked me, but she also mentioned that she noticed how I was really into the show in the audience (I sat pretty close to the stage).
Based on Marsha Norman, Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell, and Allee Willis’ 2005 Tony-winning stage musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Color Purple follows Celie Harris Johnson (Fantasia Barrino), an African-American woman struggling to live in the South during the early 20th century. She’s faced many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
I’ve never read the original novel, but I do have quite a bit of familiarity with this property. My first big introduction to the story was from having seen Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film adaptation when I was in high school, and absolutely adored it. I was lucky enough to have caught the most recent Broadway revival the Friday night before the 2016 Tony Awards. Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Celie was every bit as incredible as everyone said she was, and probably even more so. When she came to me at the stage door afterwards, I told her how much I loved her work. She not only thanked me, but she also mentioned that she noticed how I was really into the show in the audience (I sat pretty close to the stage).
As for my thoughts on this new movie musical...
Under Blitz Bazawule’s direction, everything feels so musically inclined. About 13 songs from the stage version weren’t included here. Yet they never felt missing at all. The songs that were kept, Blitz does some imaginative things with them. They’re not only shot very well (partially thanks to Dan Laustsen’s vibrant cinematography), but also staged very well. Some of them are also brought to exuberant life by Fatima Robinson’s killer choreography. In fact, I think this might just have some of the very best dancing I’ve seen in a movie musical in years.
Although something else Blitz also nails in his direction is all the dramatic scenes. Everything feels so emotionally effective with some nice touches of comic relief. A lot of the performances are incredible. Celie in my opinion has one of the best character arcs ever written for any story. Fantasia Barrino perfectly portrays her as a reserved woman in the beginning to eventually finding her strength in the end. I must say that her rendition of ‘I’m Here’ (recorded live on set) might just be the best staged and performed dramatic number in a movie musical since Anne Hathaway’s rendition of ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ in Les Misérables.
Other members of the cast definitely deserve shoutouts here. Taraji P. Henson is perfectly glamorous as jazz singer Shug Avery. She even shares some lively chemistry with Fantasia. Colman Domingo is perfectly abusive as Celie's husband, Mister. Without giving too much away, you end up sympathizing with him later on. Phylicia Pearl Mpasi and Halle Bailey are both so adorable as the younger versions of Celie and her sister, Nettie, respectively. The two of them also share a fun song early on titled ‘Keep It Movin’,’ which is one of the new tunes written just for this film. Although Danielle Brooks hands down steals the show as Sofia, a fiercely independent woman who refuses to submit to anyone who tries to dominate her.
For months, this has been billed as a “bold new take on The Color Purple.” Now that I’ve seen it, the marketing department certainly wasn’t kidding. Blitz’s vision for some of the songs taking place in Celie’s imagination feels reminiscent of Rob Marshall’s approach to the musical numbers in Chicago. Although a couple of them here are cleverly reimagined to be performed in a diegetic way. The original underscore by Kris Bowers fits in nicely. Not to mention that the filmmakers found a smart way of incorporating 'Miss Celie's Blues' from Spielberg's movie into this one. Yet overall, the heart and soul of Alice Walker’s story feels so alive in this iteration.
Rating: 4/5
Under Blitz Bazawule’s direction, everything feels so musically inclined. About 13 songs from the stage version weren’t included here. Yet they never felt missing at all. The songs that were kept, Blitz does some imaginative things with them. They’re not only shot very well (partially thanks to Dan Laustsen’s vibrant cinematography), but also staged very well. Some of them are also brought to exuberant life by Fatima Robinson’s killer choreography. In fact, I think this might just have some of the very best dancing I’ve seen in a movie musical in years.
Although something else Blitz also nails in his direction is all the dramatic scenes. Everything feels so emotionally effective with some nice touches of comic relief. A lot of the performances are incredible. Celie in my opinion has one of the best character arcs ever written for any story. Fantasia Barrino perfectly portrays her as a reserved woman in the beginning to eventually finding her strength in the end. I must say that her rendition of ‘I’m Here’ (recorded live on set) might just be the best staged and performed dramatic number in a movie musical since Anne Hathaway’s rendition of ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ in Les Misérables.
Other members of the cast definitely deserve shoutouts here. Taraji P. Henson is perfectly glamorous as jazz singer Shug Avery. She even shares some lively chemistry with Fantasia. Colman Domingo is perfectly abusive as Celie's husband, Mister. Without giving too much away, you end up sympathizing with him later on. Phylicia Pearl Mpasi and Halle Bailey are both so adorable as the younger versions of Celie and her sister, Nettie, respectively. The two of them also share a fun song early on titled ‘Keep It Movin’,’ which is one of the new tunes written just for this film. Although Danielle Brooks hands down steals the show as Sofia, a fiercely independent woman who refuses to submit to anyone who tries to dominate her.
For months, this has been billed as a “bold new take on The Color Purple.” Now that I’ve seen it, the marketing department certainly wasn’t kidding. Blitz’s vision for some of the songs taking place in Celie’s imagination feels reminiscent of Rob Marshall’s approach to the musical numbers in Chicago. Although a couple of them here are cleverly reimagined to be performed in a diegetic way. The original underscore by Kris Bowers fits in nicely. Not to mention that the filmmakers found a smart way of incorporating 'Miss Celie's Blues' from Spielberg's movie into this one. Yet overall, the heart and soul of Alice Walker’s story feels so alive in this iteration.
Rating: 4/5