The Color Purple
In the past, Steven Spielberg’s Oscar nominated movie was an adaptation of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel “The Color Purple,” and in 2005, a Broadway musical based on the book premiered. But Blitz Bazawule’s new film takes a different approach: It combines aspects of multiple forms to create something entirely new and entirely stunning.
“The Color Purple” is the story of Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as a youth; Fantasia Barrino as an adult). She spends her young life with only one person, her sister Nettie (Halle Bailey), whom she plays with on the beach, singing and giggling like all girls do but only when they’re alone. Their father is abusive, which he enforces by keeping them at home all day every day. He rids himself first of the children borne by his daughters; then he treats one daughter no differently than he does his livestock, auctioning her off as a wife to Mister (Colman Domingo). With Mister she finds not freedom but another house where violence is guaranteed.
When Nettie runs away, though, everything goes haywire they never see each other again. And so Celie has no sister, no reliable family and no children for most of her lonely life. Her husband is physically abusive in every way imaginable and madly in love with Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), a “fast and loose” blues singer who never stays in one place too long. The only hope Celie gets is that maybe Nettie and her kids are still alive somewhere out there, otherwise it’s just Shug and Sofia (Danielle Brooks), her spunky daughter in law who won’t take anyone’s shit, ever.
This movie succeeds because of its performances above all else. Mpasi and Barrino are both incredible in their own right this being their film debuts but together they make Celie jump off the screen. You see her thinking and second-guessing herself, but also fighting back against all odds, and you don’t even know where to look half the time because Mpasi is so damn magnetic, you can’t help but watch her every move. Her smile alone speaks volumes. And her chemistry with Bailey is otherworldly they’re like real sisters up there, so when Nettie disappears from the movie for good, it feels like a knife to the heart.
Barrino as an older Celie is equally as impressive in its own right because she always makes sure we see that young girl underneath all those years of pain this woman who’s been aged by men more than anything else. But Brooks steals showstopper after showstopper here. Her Sofia refuses to be ignored or underestimated or disrespected by anyone ever, and so does Brooks as an actor. The way she lights up every scene she’s in with that huge smile of hers is truly something special, and then when she starts crying it’s a wrap you’ll be bawling too before you know it because she really knows how to go there emotionally; there’s no stopping her once she gets started.
But Henson just doesn’t fit with everyone else: Her overacting sticks out like a sore thumb next to such authentic performances from everyone around her. Shug is supposed to bring some much needed levity into this otherwise bleak story line, yes, but there’s still got to be some truth behind that artifice of hers; otherwise what’s the point?
Shug is a diva using performance to mask insecurity while at the same time proudly refusing to be defined by anything but what she can do herself and such a character demands an unwavering charisma and level of performance that Henson never quite reaches. Which is why, Shug, both in performance and on paper tends to flounder for much of the film.
With such a wide range of years being covered it becomes important in regards to selectivity as far as which highlights and biographical bullet points in and around Celie’s life are depicted. In the end “The Color Purple” takes the less interesting routes too often, sometimes lingering on Shug for too long and causing the pacing to fizzle out during her spotlight. There are also some musical numbers that feel unnecessary; not worked into the story as seamlessly as some of these numbers managed to be. But most of the time these triumphal musical numbers are packed with every ounce of emotional intention they could hold: from the proud indignation behind “Hell No!”; to soul-shaking vulnerability & catharsis within “I’m Here.” All danced through and sung by this cast who never miss a beat when it comes down to their choreography or vocal abilities either alone or together. Simultaneously painting warm southern light over America itself (which can be seen throughout most scenes set there) where used especially well alongside other elements like lighting design so frequently employed during many more significant moments throughout all these songs than ever before witnessed before!
“The Color Purple” is an incredible depiction of one woman’s life filled with black women hood trials known or unknown- but unfortunately expected ones too And yet even still despite all odds being stacked against them until they have nothing left standing except each other there remains something about this tale that displays what true sisterhood among black females looks like no matter if its family related or simply friends based I think this shows how resilient we are as people but most importantly i love how over time we get see her grow into womanhood because truly speaking she represents many girls dreams so faithfully does she present them year after year.
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