The Stream: It is a remake and a musical, if that’s not your thing.

The Big Screen: Fantasia Barrino is excellent in her big screen debut.

The Final Bill: An iconic story adds strong musical numbers and a great cast to make this an emotional film experience.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Blitz Bazawule
Writers: Marcus Gardley based on a novel by Alice Walker; based on a musical stage play based on a book by Marsha Norman
Stars: Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins,
Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Halle Bailey
Genre: Musical, Drama
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual content, violence and language.
Runtime: 2 hours 13 minutes
Production Companies: Amblin Entertainment, Harpo Films, Scott Sanders Productions, Warner Bros.
Platform: In theaters on December 25, 2023
Notable Trailers: The American Society of Magical Negroes, Unsung Hero, The Book of Clarence, Dune: Part Two, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Hey, Streamers! Christmas is the season for remakes and musicals. Here, we have both a remake and a musical in The Color Purple. Actually, this The Color Purple is an adaptation of the musical stage play which was itself an adaptation of the novel which the prior movie was based on. Got it? Anyway, this movie was released on Christmas day with much fanfare and anticipation. Here’s how it turned out.

In The Color Purple, we follow a young girl, Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi), who is pregnant for a second time with her father’s child. She is abused, mentally, physically and sexually, and the only person who shows her genuine love and care is her free-spirited sister, Nettie (Halle Bailey). When Celie is sold by her father to be married to Mister (Colman Domingo) and she’s separated from her beloved sister, Celie must find the strength to survive under Mister’s thumb with the help of strong-willed women like Sofia (Danielle Brooks) and Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson). Musical hijinks ensue.

The Color Purple (2023) captures the essence of The Color Purple (1985) and what made it iconic while adding its own musical flare and exuberance. This production is top-notch and starts with a bang. The first musical number sets the stage for an emotional and engrossing experience. And, then it keeps going. The costumes are amazing, especially Shug’s performance attire. There are bold colors and designs that are a feast for the eyes. More importantly, it is shot impeccably letting light and shadow enhance the story. Although the movie is over 2 hours long, it movies at a fast pace without feeling rushed. The emotions of the story carry through such that you’ll hear sniffling in the closing minutes of the film.

Also, this cast is excellent overall. In her first big screen role, Fantasia Barrino starts out as meek and portrays all of the hardships Celie has been through. Fantasia eventually is able to open up and project confidence through her beautiful and affecting singing. Although others in the cast get standout moments, Fantasia is the steady anchor for this movie. Danielle Brooks is great as well as Sofia. She has a great voice and gets to sing one of the best songs. Also, who knew that Taraji P. Henson could really sing? She really brings it and stands shoulder to shoulder with Brooks. These are just the standouts in a cast that has many good performances among them including the young Celie played by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.

Ultimately, The Color Purple is an excellent adaptation of iconic material. The production looks great all around.  The cast is great as well and led by a strong performance from Fantasia Barrino. It is an emotional movie that isn’t depressing despite how the main character suffers. Her exuberance and endurance shines through. This movie is worth a trip to the theater for a big box of popcorn.