I watched The Color Purple (2023) in theaters with my daughter last night. The storyline revolves around two young ladies raised by a shop owner after their mother passes away. He sells off one of the sisters to be married, and she enters an abusive home where she loses her self-worth. She relies on kindness and memories of her sister as hope for a brighter future.
Directed by Blitz Bazawule (The Burial of Kojo), the film stars Fantasia (The Butler), Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures), Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), Colman Domingo (Selma), and Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton).
This is a movie where you need to shut your brain off in regard to the original and watch with a fresh lens as a stand-alone, unique telling of the story. As a musical, the look, feel, and pace are entirely different. It resembles watching a play. The attire, settings, props, and depiction of the era are excellent, as is the casting. Fantasia delivers an outstanding performance, and Colman Domingo is remarkable as Mister. Taraji P. Henson, Hawkins, and Brooks provide great supporting performances. The beginning of the film is a bit clumsy and uneven-paced, with the segue between some scenes being better than others, but the second half is perfection. The grand entrance scene by Henson is legendary, as is a cameo during the birthing scene and the bar fight. Every reference to Africa and the flashes to those sequences is great too. The conclusion is triumphant and rewarding.
In conclusion, this is an outstanding musical that's definitely a must-see. I would score this a 7.5-8/10 and strongly recommend it.
Directed by Blitz Bazawule (The Burial of Kojo), the film stars Fantasia (The Butler), Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures), Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), Colman Domingo (Selma), and Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton).
This is a movie where you need to shut your brain off in regard to the original and watch with a fresh lens as a stand-alone, unique telling of the story. As a musical, the look, feel, and pace are entirely different. It resembles watching a play. The attire, settings, props, and depiction of the era are excellent, as is the casting. Fantasia delivers an outstanding performance, and Colman Domingo is remarkable as Mister. Taraji P. Henson, Hawkins, and Brooks provide great supporting performances. The beginning of the film is a bit clumsy and uneven-paced, with the segue between some scenes being better than others, but the second half is perfection. The grand entrance scene by Henson is legendary, as is a cameo during the birthing scene and the bar fight. Every reference to Africa and the flashes to those sequences is great too. The conclusion is triumphant and rewarding.
In conclusion, this is an outstanding musical that's definitely a must-see. I would score this a 7.5-8/10 and strongly recommend it.