The Color Purple (2024): Film Review
Although it had been well received on Broadway, I didn’t think a musical version of The Color Purple would work. Yet somehow it does.
For those who haven’t read Alice Walker’s novel or seen the 1985 film, here’s the story in a nutshell. The film, which takes place between 1909 to 1947, follows Celie Harris (Fantasia Barrino), who is forced to marry Mister (Colman Domingo) and look after him and his children and clean his house. Separated from her beloved sister Nettie and her two children, Celie lives a hard life in which she’s treated very much like a slave. She finds solace in the arrival of Mister’s lover, the famous singer Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), and learns to stand up for herself thanks to the feisty Sofia (Danielle Brooks).
It’s not a story that cries out for a musical adaptation, right?! But the songs complement the narrative well and make the lows lower and the highs higher. They aren’t super memorable in hindsight and there are a couple that felt unnecessary but generally, they effectively convey an emotion or add entertainment value. I loved Hell No because it is Sofia in peak no-nonsense mode as well as Shug’s OTT entrance and performance of Push Da Button and the group choreography in Shug Avery and Movin’. I was impressed by the spectacular staging in most of the numbers and the vocal talent on display from the entire cast.
It is loyal to the story but not an exact copy. Some moments are the same word-for-word but not too many – there are enough differences to make it feel like its own thing. I liked that the nature of Shug and Celie’s friendship was more explicit but I wasn’t so sure about giving Mister a redemptive arc. He was an awful man who dehumanised Celie for years and I wasn’t ready to forgive him by the end of the film, despite his changed ways. I also really felt the 2-hour 20-minute runtime towards the end when it took a while to wrap up the story threads.
Barrino may be an excellent lead but because Celie is a wallflower who observes others, she is often outshone by her flashier counterparts. I liked what Oprah Winfrey did with Sofia – a forthright uncontrollable woman before her time who gets taken down a peg or two – but Brooks takes her to another level. Her transformation from a hilarious sassy woman full of life to one at her lowest ebb is so sad. It’s no wonder she got an Oscar nomination – and I know exactly which clip will appear in her montage. Henson was perfect as the fabulous Shug and I loved her voice.
The Color Purple isn’t perfect but it’s a worthy update on the story with sensational performances.
In cinemas from Friday 26th January