It was time. Not that I didn’t enjoy Steven Spielberg’s take on Alice Walker’s celebrated novel. But with the success of the musical version of The Color Purple, it was time to revisit the story through newer, black eyes. The musical spin turns the 2023 adaptation into a rousing celebration of the human spirit, showing that it’s never too late for anyone, and even if you beat someone into the ground, they’re still here, and still unbreakable.
Here’s a refresher: Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi) and Nettie (Halle Bailey) are two African-American girls living in Georgia in the early 1900s. While Nettie gets to go to school, Celie’s life is hell: her father Alphonso (Deon Cole) abuses her, until he gets bored, and sells her to Albert “Mister” Johnson (Colman Domingo) to be married. Mister is even worse, forcing Nettie to leave the area leaving poor Celie on her own. After years of cruel treatment, the meek, older Celie (Fantasia Barrino) is stuck in a perpetual waking nightmare, until a couple amazing people enter her life. Sofia (Danielle Brooks), cousin of Mister taking nothing from nobody even her husband Harpo (Corey Hawkins), and Mister’s favorite old flame, Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), now a singing sensation, who Celie sees perform while Shug’s in town.
Director Blitz Bazawule (a music producer who works with Beyoncé) uses his incredible eyes and ears to really lean hard into this Color Purple’s musical numbers, the true highlight of this 2023 adaptation. From the beautiful “Mysterious Ways” opening number, the movie really comes alive when everyone’s singing. Bazawule uses his incredible cast to really deliver the musical and emotional chops of each number, and every protagonist gets one or two incredible moments to shine. Halle Bailey comes from under the sea, proving she’s just as great on land with the delightful “Keep it Movin.” Taraji P. Henson was born to sing “Push Da Button,” a sultry, sexy opener at her bayou bar show, but she’s equally incredible dueting with Fantasia in “Dear God” an incredible Busby Berkeley inspired musical number. Blitz let’s Danielle Brooks cook in the revenge anthem “Hell, No!”, one of the movie’s big messages sure to leave the audience erupting in applause. And the gracious American Idol Fantasia Barrino waits till the end for here big number: a culmination of all the frustration she has to endure and yet she persists and shines. Each piece is different, making the audience anticipate what joyous musical celebration they are about to see next, and gives the movie an epic emotional scope as each character belts out their hearts desires, fears and dreams.
As a Color Purple Adaptation. Bazawule sticks to Alice Walker’s novel for the most part. With all the musical numbers, we get the bullet points version of the story, hitting the big moments the audience wants to see. The cast really sells it and covers up the simple script. Danielle Brooks and Taraji P. Henson especially stand out, waking up Celie while also giving us a riveting emotional arc to remind everyone of the all the horrors of 1900s Southern society. Colman Domingo is so charming as Mister he sometimes briefly will make you forget he’s the devil. And Fantasia Barrino hopefully will get a career boost similar to Whoopie Goldberg’s after the 1985 movie. Since we’re doing a musical anyways, I wish Blitz had modernized the script a little bit, and not undercut its messaging (like the novel did) with the schmaltzy “everybody love everybody” ending. But so much sorrow and bleak melancholy has happened, you can forgive having a heart, like all our main characters have, and then some.
Tis the season to be jolly and joyous. The Color Purple’s brilliance was always its ability to rise from the darkness and embrace the light, wherever you can find it. In this season of giving, I’m glad Blitz Bazawule and his talented cast gave us this gift of musical and storytelling entertainment delight. Plus a new breakup anthem to rival You Outta Know and Since U Been Gone.