Movie Review: "The Color Purple"; Contrived Storytelling Bolstered By Spectacular Production Value
8/12 ForReel Score | 3/5 Stars
For musical lovers, this 2023 theatrical adaptation of The Color Purple musical checks all of the boxes. Lucious set pieces, meticulously choreographed numbers, and top notch vocal talent spearheading the soundtrack. What it’s missing: authenticity in storytelling. The Color Purple hits all its marks in the technical department, but in the storytelling space, the film lacks depth and never entirely feels real. It’s formulated, with the events of the film engineered to over communicate specific messages at specific points rather than allowing the sum of the story to speak for itself, and while many audiences may forgive or overlook this aspect of the film, it was a deal breaker for me.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros.
Based on the Broadway musical play - not the 1985 film that the play is based on - The Color Purple follows the story of Celie (Fantasia Barrino) as a teenage girl who has had both of the children she’s given birth to taken away from her. When she’s married off to an abusive man she calls Mister (Coleman Domingo, Rustin) and separated from her beloved sister Nettie (Halle Bailey, The Little Mermaid), she lives life hoping to one day be united with them. With the help of other female characters including her best friend Sofia (Danielle Brooks) and famed singer Shug Avery (Taraji P Henson, Hidden Figures), she learns to find beauty in and acceptance of herself as she continues to contact and reunite with her family.
For a nearly two and a half hour film, The Color Purple somehow still feels abbreviated as it coasts from plot point to plot point. That is to say, the notions of how events are meant to unfold and how characters are meant to develop are apparent, but the execution of such development feels stilted, seemingly bound by a lack of full-bodied writing, the obligation to music numbers, and an over commitment to pacing for a mass mainstream audience. So yes, the film moves briskly through its story and never feels overlong, but it sacrifices adequate time with these characters to fully connect with their development.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros.
But the most off putting aspect of the film is the part I really wanted to support the most. The Color Purple projects clear intentions on portraying the struggles of African American women in this early era of the 1900’s and promote social justice messages, but the effort can come off as so contrived. The film figuratively shouts “look how inclusive this story is!” over a seemingly shoehorned same-sex attraction sequence that ultimately had very little bearing on the progression of the two characters involved - a virtue signaling Chekhov’s Gun of sorts. Oppression and social injustice seems managed by what mood the film wants to convey rather than what’s realistic about the scene at hand. And because of how fabricated the story feels, the stakes in the narrative just never get high enough for me to be too invested into finding out what’s going to happen next.
The Color Purple does, however, have redeeming qualities to it. The film enlists top-notch vocal talent to fill the ranks of its cast and soundtrack headliners. Numbers like “Hell No” with Danielle Brooks, “Push Da Button'' with Taraji P Henson, and “I’m Here” with Fantasia Barrino are just a few of the many unforgettable showstopping moments in the film.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros.
Moreover, the set design and cinematography are all superb. Scenes inside rustic wooden buildings are flooded with misty sunbeams streaming through the windows. Then, scenes outside are lush and vibrant - every shot is visually stunning to look at. And the dance choreography is captured with butter smooth precision.
The technical aspects of the film are spot on, and with this kind of attention to detail with production value, I understand how The Color Purple was a qualified candidate for an adaptation from the stage to the screen. But these technical components are woefully underserved by poor execution of character development and pandering storytelling. Because of this, The Color Purple misses on its effort to be a rousing and inspiring film. This “bold new take” might appeal to some audiences, but for me, “bold” and “new” are both overreaching claims for a film that best succeeds at being a middle-of-the-road adaptation.
Acting/Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer’s Preference - 0 | What does this mean?