The Color Purple (2023)

In 1908 Georgia, a young girl (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi who morphs into Fantasia Barrino) leaves the home of a sexually abusive father to be married to a farmer (Colman Domingo) who is physically abusive to her. Based on the novel by Alice Walker (previously filmed in 1985) by way of the 2005 Broadway musical version and directed by Blitz Bazawule (THE BURIAL OF KOJO). Steven Spielberg did an excellent adaptation of the Alice Walker novel which received 11 Oscar nominations (winning none) so one questions whether this musical remake was necessary. What's the sense of doing a musical of a previously filmed story unless the songs add or bring something to the narrative? The mediocre songs here only interrupt the narrative and don't enhance or bring something fresh or different to the proceedings. Musically, the movie only soars once during the Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson duet, What About Love? and although Barrino gives a strong rendition of I'm Here she can't redeem a song as mediocre as that one. Fatima Robinson did the unimpressive choreography. The acting is excellent though, particularly Henson and Danielle Brooks. With Corey Hawkins, Jon Batiste, Aunjanue Ellis Taylor, Gabriella Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg and Louis Gossett Jr.