Bazawule’s heartfelt movie musical sugars the pill, sanding down the rough edges of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. But he also captures the spirit of the story with his cast’s soul-baring ardor.
Fantasia Barrino (who earned raves replacing LaChanze on Broadway) delivers the definitive rendition of Celie, a woman who endures decades of abuse before finding love and empowerment with Shug and Nettie.
The Story
Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel is a landmark text in the American canon. It’s survived years of fierce debate, varying interpretations and scholarly analysis, but its central story remains a timeless one of female strength and perseverance. It’s been adapted several times, from Steven Spielberg’s powerful 1985 film to the hit Broadway musical of 2005 (and now this new movie version directed by Blitz Bazawule).
Music and The Color Purple have always had a symbiotic relationship. From the start, the book was infused with popular songs from the period, from the sensuous ragtime anthem Miss Celie’s Blues to the gospel-inspired spiritual I Shall Overcome. This latest movie-musical sands down the barbed edges of the original, turning the story more towards female solidarity and triumph over adversity.
Bazawule does manage to capture some of the emotional power of the piece, with a soaring anthem for Shug’s spirit and a powerful duet for Celie and Sofia that’s as heart-wrenching as it is uplifting. But he commits the cardinal sin of casting a talent like Fantasia Barrino without really letting her rip, so many of the musical numbers feel just a little too polished.
That said, this is still a worthy and moving incarnation of the story, thanks to an excellent cast and the sheer force of its narrative. You’ll laugh, cry and probably hum a few earworming melodies, while Barrino is an unforgettable fulcrum of the piece and Colman Domingo proves himself to be one of the most versatile actors working today with his transformative turn as Mister.
The Performances
This latest iteration of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel and Tony-winning Broadway musical leans into the hope and triumph of its heroine Celie, who endures years of abuse and is separated from her sister Nettie (played by Halle Bailey). While Blitz Bazawule’s adaptation lacks the rhythm and confidence of Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film, it compensates with a big, brash spectacle. It combines the styles of Broadway musicals, Hollywood studio movies and music videos into an exuberant extravaganza that features gospel, jazz and blues-inspired tunes.
The performances are what make this retelling sing. Fantasia Barrino, who earned raves playing the role on Broadway, brings a raw soulfulness to Celie’s arc as she holds her emotional center through decades of suffering. She is aided by a strong supporting cast, including Taraji P. Henson as Shug, the sassy companion who empowers Celie; Colman Domingo, proving there’s no one he can’t portray, as Mister, the man who abuses his wife and children; and Corey Hawkins, as Sofia’s on-and-off lover Harpo.
But the star of the show is Danielle Brooks, who plays Sofia with a boldness and authenticity that elevates her from the character’s usual racial slurs and overly broad comedic quips. She is also a force to be reckoned with in her scenes with Mister and is a vital part of the film’s exploration of cycles of violence and inherited pain.
The Music
If there’s a defining literary classic of the 1980s, The Color Purple is it. Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was adapted into a beloved Steven Spielberg movie in 1985, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey and bringing Barrino her first Oscar nod, and then into an even more beloved Broadway musical in 2005 that spawned a 2015 stage revival. Now, director Blitz Bazawule has brought it back to the screen as a heartfelt movie-musical.
The film brims with remarkable performances, with Barrino as the fulcrum of the drama. She’s aided by a talented cast, including Taraji P. Henson as Shug, the diva who provides moments of levity in Celie’s misery, and Danielle Brooks as fiery Sofia.
Still, the film isn’t without its problems. A few of the songs are a little too raunchy for some, and the graphic content of the story soils its message. Plus, the primewire film sands down its central lesbian romance and hurries to a conclusion.
Overall, though, The Color Purple delivers the message of a resilient Black woman’s triumph over abuse and despair with honesty and soul. Its kinetic choreography and awe-inducing music make for a memorable experience, and the production values — Dan Lausten’s vivid colors, Paul Denham Austerberrys set design, Francine Jamison-Tanchuck’s costumes — contribute to its integrity. The only thing that keeps this version from reaching its full potential is Henson’s overacting as Shug.
The Direction
The Color Purple is a story of female strength and sisterhood that has been told over and over again, from Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film version and the Broadway musical that made it all the way back to the big screen this year. Each incarnation is a little different, wringing some emotion out of the tale while omitting others. This film, helmed by music director and filmmaker Blitz Bazawule (Black Is King), is no exception.
The movie is a rousing, dazzling spectacle, with stunning cinematography by Dan Lausten that captures a vision of the early 20th century South that’s more often than not ignored in films of this era. Francine Jamison-Tanchuck’s costumes and production design also add to the magic.
Bazawule whittles the film down to 18 musical numbers and interludes, from the stage show’s 29, but these feel like transitions added on top of the narrative, rather than used to drive it forward. Henson slays as Shug, the glamorous singer who flits in and out of Celie’s rural life and for whom Mister pines; she is a force to be reckoned with.
The movie commits the cardinal sin of casting a talent like Fantasia Barrino without letting her belt out one of her signature showstopping tunes. And while the musical numbers are snappy and catchy, they lack the emotional and spiritual heft that Spielberg’s 1985 movie had.
