[Review] The Color Purple (6.5/10)

 

Title - The Color Purple
Production - Amblin Entertainment, Harpo Films, Quincy Jones Productions, Warner Bros.
Starring - Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Danielle Brooks, Corey Hawkins, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Ciara, David Alan Grier, Deon Cole, Jon Batiste, Louis Gossett Jr., Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Elizabeth Marvel
Writer - Marcus Gardley, Alice Walker, Marsha Norman
Director - Blitz Bazawule

There's something fundamentally off when the movie cannot even put it's leading lady's name as the first name during credits roll.

Fantasia Barrino deserved the Best Actress category had her performance been good enough to standout, which it didn't. I didn't think she was bad, she actually did surprise me at how good of an actress she was. The problem with some of her scenes probably was the fault of director Blitz Bazawule.

There was a dream number between her and Taraji P. Henson that felt very awkward as the two actress tried their best to make work. But then again, I'm not sure if it was because the writers felt that the original Steven Spielberg movie was too well-known that they chose to focus less on the story but more on the songs. 

That was a terrible mistake. Songs in a musical typically help to push the story forward by dropping narratives and expositions. But because the original story was so well written already that the songs were only accompaniments. And they did not accompany well.

Not only that, but because the focus were so much on the singing and choreography that I felt the story and dialogue suffered. The first act was shockingly dull that I could not believe this was the updated version they wanted.

Most of the songs were ho-hum; unmemorable and insignificant, except for a couple of Barrino-led numbers or solo effort.

The only two powerhouse performers here were Henson and Colman Domingo who helped carry the movie, as well as Danielle Brooks who did not shine at first, but that prison scene was quite powerful and I bet it was there that really pushed her as a Supporting contender. 

Elizabeth Marvel's character here did not have the impact as the original. In fact, the purpose of her role was never clearly defined. If we took her character out of the movie it wouldn't have made a difference; same goes for H.E.R.'s character but hers was consistent with the original.

At the end of it, it was quite touching to witness the reunion, with a bit of a redemption arc for Domingo's character. But, that was nowhere near as good as the original. And I've never seen the original, until the morning after of 2023 version; and even with full knowledge of how the story was going to end, Spielberg and Whoopi Goldberg still made me tear up.