The Color Purple – A Musical Remake Of The 1985 Film With A Tear-Jerking Story, Engaging Musical Numbers And Brilliant Acting
Torn apart from her sister and her children, Celie faces many hardships in life, including an abusive husband. With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery, as well as her stand-her-ground stepdaughter, Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Katherine S. comments, “I love this reimagined, musical version of The Color Purple! It has a really good balance of joyful and sorrowful scenes, which made me care deeply about the characters. Its cast is brilliant, as all of them fit their roles perfectly and have absolutely outstanding and powerful voices.” Sydney S. adds, “I absolutely love the film, The Color Purple! This musical remake of the 1985 film is a tear-jerking story with engaging musical numbers and brilliant acting. The film holds so much power and I like that it promotes hope.” See their full reviews below.
The Color Purple (2023)
By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15
I love this reimagined, musical version of The Color Purple! It has a really good balance of joyful and sorrowful scenes, which made me care deeply about the characters. Its cast is brilliant, as all of them fit their roles perfectly and have absolutely outstanding and powerful voices.
This movie is a musical adaptation of the novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker and also the movie The Color Purple from 1985. It follows two teenage sisters named Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi/Fantasia Barrino) and Nettie (Halle Bailey/Ciara) in the American South in the early 1900s. Celie and Nettie are best friends, but then they get separated once Celie gets married to a man named Mister (Colman Domingo). The movie then tells the story of the struggles that Celie faces and her attempts to find her sister.
If you’ve seen the original movie and or read the book, you will notice the storyline is the same. However, how the story is portrayed is very different. It’s full of singing and dancing as in a Broadway musical. I like this rendition of The Color Purple the best out of the three because thesinging and dancing are so engaging – I really connected with the characters and their emotions. My favorite character is definitely Sophie, played by Danielle Brooks, because she is very funny and powerful, has a rich voice, and I loved every scene she was in. The actors with the strongest performances are Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Colman Domingo. Celie, is such a dynamic character as we see her grow and change so much while she overcomes all of her traumas. Also, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi is definitely the right choice to play young Celie since she and Fantasia look very similar. Also I absolutely despise Mister because of Colman Domingo’s incredibly convincing performance! The Color Purple also stars Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins, Deon Cole, and H.E.R. Be sure to look for a couple cameos by people who were in the original movie adaptation.
The messages of this movie include the power of perseverance, the importance of forgiveness and of having the fortitude to overcome oppression and abuse. It also emphasizes the importance of family. Be aware that there is profanity, alcohol consumption, and rape.
I give The Color Purple 5 out of 5 stars, and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters December 25, 2023.
The Color Purple
By Sydney S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
I absolutely love the film, The Color Purple! This musical remake of the 1985 film is a tear-jerking story with engaging musical numbers and brilliant acting. The film holds so much power and I like that it promotes hope.
The storyline follows Celie who struggles to find freedom in her life. After her children are taken from her, she is sent away to live with a husband who doesn’t allow Celie to contact her sister.
The main characters in the film are Celie (Fantasia Barrino), Young Celie (Phylicia Pearl), Young Nettie (Halle Bailey), Nettie (Ciara), Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), Sofia (Danielle Brooks), Harpo (Corey Hawkins), Mister (Colman Domingo), and Squeak (H.E.R.). The actors are incredible. They bring so much emotion that enhances the storyline and brings the movie to life. You can tell how they’re feeling by the look in their eyes! I love the amount of laughter in this movie. Sofia’s remedy to her depression is laughter. Celie never fails to laugh and smile when she’s happy. The relationship between Celie and her sister Nettie is so heartwarming, but seeing them get separated is crushing. I found my emotions flailing all over the place. There’s tension between some of the characters, too, which adds suspense.
The costumes are relative to the time and setting. They get interesting when Shug Avery comes to town, though. The lighting dims when there’s tension or something awful happens, which is a great touch. The direction of this film is incredible because it focuses on important details, such as body language or angles. Steven Spielberg did a wonderful job once again. I really like the musical theater side incorporated in the film. The music touches hearts and helps the characters express their feelings. The songs are catchy, too. The dances are so well-choreographed and detailed. There’s a perfect balance of musical theater. It’s also beautiful to see the characters brought together by music. My favorite part of the film is the character Celie and her breakthrough with finding herself. No matter how difficult her life gets, she pushes through and finds joy in the little things. She’s grateful for what she has and deals with abuse at the same time. At the end, her message about herself and her life is beautiful.
The message of this film is that life can be difficult, but life is beautiful when you learn to persevere and stay positive. It also encourages you to stand up for yourself. Themes of family and friendship are also included. You should be aware there are some sensitive scenes that contain abuse, foul language and sexual content.
I give The Color Purple 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. The Color Purple comes out in theaters December 25, 2023.
