The Color Purple (2023)

Brody praises the film’s tone and its lyrical, imaginative direction. He especially singles out Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino, whose performances give the story its emotional force.

Walsh finds this adaptation emotionally powerful and an essential American story brought to its best onscreen expression. She especially praises Danielle Brooks, whose spirited Sofia electrifies the film.

Debruge finds this adaptation a rousing, spiritually uplifting expansion of the earlier film and musical. He especially praises Fantasia Barrino’s soul-felt performance and the way the songs give Celie a stronger voice.

Rooney finds the musical remake joyful and emotionally satisfying, despite some oversized musical numbers and stylistic detours. He particularly praises Fantasia Barrino’s affecting performance and the strength of the ensemble.

The review finds the musical moving and often miraculous, despite tonal shifts and an overstuffed story. It especially praises Danielle Brooks’ standout performance as Sofia and the cast’s commitment.

Freer finds the adaptation exuberant, beautifully crafted, and ultimately moving, despite its sanitised treatment of the story. He singles out Barrino’s performance and the bravura musical sequences for praise.

Ebiri finds the musical adaptation moving in its interplay of brutality and joy, while noting that its theatrical polish can soften the story’s darkest moments. He praises Danielle Brooks for bringing remarkable range and humanity to Sofia.

The review presents the film as a rousing adaptation of the stage musical. The standfirst highlights its source material, but the paywall prevents access to any more specific praise or criticism.

Saville finds the film entrancing and heartbreaking, though it focuses more on Celie’s suffering than her redemption. She praises the performances and gospel soundtrack, while faulting the adaptation for sidelining Celie and Shug’s romance.

The page appears to be a review, but its text is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the accessible content.

The review finds the adaptation vibrant and thoughtful, though its persistent escapist uplift may trouble admirers of the darker source. It praises the musical staging and performances, especially the energetic showstoppers and the cast’s expressive work.

Bradshaw finds the adaptation warm and compelling, though it softens the original’s harsher edges. He praises the fierce charisma of the three lead performers, especially in the ensemble numbers.

The URL identifies this as a New York Times review of the film, but the page content is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined.

Kemp finds the film a smart reworking that balances its dark story with hope, though Celie and Shug’s relationship could have been explored more fully. She praises Blitz Bazawule’s handling of the shifts between music and dialogue.

The critic finds the film difficult to love, though its emotional beats land. They praise the performances of Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks, while faulting the musical numbers for softening the story’s impact.

The review finds the musical adaptation rousing, while noting discomfort with turning Celie’s abuse into a show-stopping musical. It praises how lightly the film moves across the years as Celie grows into a woman of character.

The critic finds the adaptation visually impressive but uneven, with its upbeat musical numbers sometimes clashing with its harrowing material. Danielle Brooks’s formidable performance as Sofia is singled out for praise.

The critic finds the adaptation emotionally hollow and overly showy, with songs that often fail to resonate. He praises the Shug-Celie scenes, especially their imagined silent-film sequence, as moments of bold invention.

The critic finds the adaptation uneven and less compelling than its standout parts. Danielle Brooks is singled out for a magnetic, star-making performance.

Hammond finds the film a dazzling, hopeful, and satisfying new take on the story. He especially praises its imaginative use of magical realism to reveal Celie’s inner world.

The critic finds this reimagining uplifting and deeply satisfying, praising its powerhouse performances and crowd-pleasing musical numbers. Danielle Brooks’s scene-stealing Sofia and Fantasia Barrino’s raw, triumphant Celie are singled out.

Kermode finds the adaptation a successful and valuable contribution, despite some flaws. She especially praises its dynamic Black female ensemble and Danielle Brooks’s vivid performance as Sofia.

Hassenger finds the lavish musical strained and stagebound, despite its stronger emotional moments. He praises the performers, especially Danielle Brooks, but criticizes the musical numbers for prioritizing spectacle over memorable images.

The critic finds the adaptation well-meaning but unsuccessful, with its musical and dramatic elements failing to gel. He praises Danielle Brooks’s performance, while faulting the film’s uneven tone and diminished emotional complexity.

The critic finds the adaptation ultimately unsuccessful, despite its crowd-pleasing qualities. The cast and musical performances earn praise, while the compressed story creates jarring tonal shifts.