The Color Purple is a 1985 film that was directed by Steven Spielberg. The film was a strong drama that focused on mature themes and societal biases. Obviously, the film was a critical success that really resonated with the audience as well. Cut to thirty eight years later, we get a remake of the movie. Spielberg is acting as a producer but won’t be at the helm of affairs. The film is directed by Blitz Bazawule and stars Fantasia Barrino, Hailey Bailey, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo and Taraji P. Henson. Many people are skeptical of this remake but the talent associated with it acts as an incentive. With the film’s release only a week away, the early reviews for the film are in. Is the film a worthy remake? Let’s hear what the critics have to say.
The Color Purple Reviews Round-Up: Strong Performance & Emotions!
The Color Purple is an outright critical success. The film has debuted with glorious reviews and currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89%. The film is easily the most critically acclaimed film of this December. Check out all the reviews below:
Brian Truitt (USA Today) – “From a huge Gramophone to a dizzying array of showstopping pants, the movie musical of “The Color Purple” may be a different experience than previous versions but it’s no less breathtaking or vital.” Original Score: 3.5/4
Alonso Duralde (The Film Verdict) – “Resonates powerfully both as an emotional drama and as a welcome addition to the movie-musical canon.”
Rafer Guzman (Newsday) – ““The Color Purple” does everything a big-studio movie-musical is supposed to.” Original Score: 2.5/4
Caryn James (BBC.com) – “Straight through to the big finish with a spiritual song and a warm family reunion, The Color Purple is shameless in its wish to be loved by audiences. That may be calculated, but the strategy works in this vivid, alternate take on a classic story.” Original Score: 4/5
Richard Lawson (Vanity Fair) – “It’s an adaptation that sands narrative edges and rushes through things, but also captures a spirit universal to all Color Purple iterations, while providing a sturdy showcase for the rousing songs…”
Maureen Lee Lenker (Entertainment Weekly) – “If there’s no other reason for this movie to exist, permanently capturing Barrino’s performance is sufficient.” Original Score: B
Carla Meyer (San Francisco Chronicle) – “A flawed film with some bright spots…” Original Score: 2.5/4
Barry Hertz (Globe and Mail) – “As the number Keep It Movin’ reminds the characters, “Life can never break your soul.” But this version of The Color Purple cannot find the right mix of the latter to ensure the former.”
Kate Erbland (indieWire) – “There’s so much to see in “The Color Purple” that this critic made the rare choice to see the film twice before reviewing it. The experience deepens, in both good and bad ways, with a second watch.” Original Score: B
Tim Grierson (Screen International) – “As the picture navigates its plot twists and reaches its moving finale, the tonal discrepancies begin to feel insignificant.”
David Rooney (Hollywood Reporter) – “The prevailing takeaway is its resounding themes of spirituality, self-discovery, redemption and resilience.”
Chris Hewitt (Minneapolis Star Tribune) – “If you get restless near the beginning of the musical version of “The Color Purple,” rest assured: It improves.” Original Score: 2.5/4
Meredith G. White (Arizona Republic) – “At a whopping two hours and 20 minutes, it never drags. The music propels the story instead of interrupting. Meanwhile, the performances will have you gasping and cheering.” Original Score: 4.5/5
Alissa Wilkinson (New York Times) – “On the whole, I was gripped. Yet by the end it’s clear that the story remains slippery to would-be adapters.”
Peter Bradshaw (Guardian) – “There’s no doubting the sledgehammer force of Barrino, Henson and Brooks as the three women who win out.” Original Score: 3/5
Peter Debruge (Variety) – ““The Color Purple” [feels] even more monumental than it did in Spielberg’s hands. And that’s saying something, since the director brought such an iconic touch to the material that his choices echo in Bazawule’s approach throughout.”
Robbie Collin {Daily Telegraph (UK)} – “This is an all-singing, all-sobbing weepie with sequins, featuring comedy, uproarious choreography, and a suite of soul R&B and gospel numbers that will have you bopping along in your seat.” Original Score: 4/5
Moira MacDonald (Seattle Times) – “Bazawule slowly but surely lifts us up, letting us soar with the cast by the end.” Original Score: 3/4
Peyton Robinson (RogerEbert.com) – “A stunning hybrid that combines the visceral meditations of the written word with the thunderous energy of musical performance.” Original Score: 3.5/4
Aisha Harris (NPR) – “There’s enough here to recommend it to anyone who’s loved some previous version of the original story.”
The Color Purple will release in theatres near you on December 25th, 2023.
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