THE COLOR PURPLE (2023 FILM)

This is not a remake of the Steven Spielberg-directed film version of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Price winning novel of the same name, which shot both Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey to global fame in 1985.  In the same way that 'My Fair Lady' is the musical version of 'Pygmalion', and "Hello Dolly' is the musical version of 'The Matchmaker', this is the musical version of the original - they just happen to share the same title. 

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the original film, and how often I've referred to it over the years (see: https://jimswilleymoviereviews.blogspot) I don't quote it in dialect so much any more, because we're living in different times now, but I still get requests for it a lot.  In 2004, I attended the premier of the musical here in Atlanta at The Alliance Theatre (sitting right behind Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter), and then saw it on Broadway a few years later with Jennifer Hudson. I liked both productions a lot, but I have to say that I love this film adaptation of the stage version as much I do the 1985 movie classic for different reasons. Blitz Bazawule has done an amazingly innovative job of translating the theatricality of the stage musical to film (which is not easy to do), and Marcus Gardley's screenplay has actually made the story even more understandable for this medium.

Some of it was filmed on beautiful and mysterious Driftwood Beach in Jekyll Island (see pic above), and everyone in the cast did an outstanding job, without exception. I really loved some of the casting choices, like Whoopi doing a cameo as Celie's midwife in the birthing scene, and Louis Gossett Jr. and David Alan Grier (both of whom I've met) as 'Ol Mister Johnson and Rev. Samuel Avery, respectively.  I also loved seeing Jon Batiste play Grady, and play the piano for Shug Avery's rendition of 'Sister'. Speaking of which, the always reliable Taraji P. Henson created a remarkable and original interpretation of her character, but for me, the breakout performance was that of Danielle Brooks as Sofia. Granted, she's had a lot of practice playing the role on Broadway, but her appearance in this film was a revelation. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

Several people have asked me if this is as good as the original classic film, and my answer is you can't compare the two. This is a completely different thing. But this adaptation is really quite impressive for so many reasons (you really just have to see it to get it). I can't recommend it enough.