The Color Purple Movie Review (1985)

A wonderful and heart-wrenching film, The Color Purple is a movie that is up there with the greats. A story of self-discovery and love, this is a must-watch.

I have always known of The Color Purple, but I never watched the movie or read the book. I just never got around to it. I recently reviewed The Color Purple The Musical at Goodman Theatre, though, so I thought it was the perfect time to watch the movie as well. With the story swimming through my brain, I was dying to compare them.

The Color Purple is about Celie, a 14 year-old girl who is married off to a man named Mister after birthing two babies of her own and having them taken away. The only person in the world that she has is her sister Nettie, smart and strong next to Celie’s shy and beaten-down way. When Mister forces Nettie away and removes all contact, Celie lives day-to-day raising Mister’s children, being beaten and raped by him, and believes that this is her forever, as she gazes at the picture of the dazzling Shug next to his bed.

This movie struck me like a ton of bricks in all of the best ways. While Spielberg did an immaculate job creating a world in which these characters can live, it is the actors and the script that truly bring it to life.

Whoopi Goldberg is sensational as Celie. Throughout the film, she is quiet and shy, keeping her head down and expecting all of the horrors of her life. But there are a few moments where her eyes are everything. There is a scene when Shug is singing a song that she has written for Celie in front of the entire audience at the juke joint. The way Whoopi’s watery eyes train on her with love and pain and adoration, it’s truly a moment.

In another scene, Shug is kissing Celie’s face in a quiet moment. Celie’s reaction lands somewhere between a teenager and a 6 year-old with her childlike smiling face. It is the ultimate reminder that this woman has never been given a chance to grow into an adult, as all she does is manage her abuse. This is one of those scenes that will live in my mind permanently. It’s changing and heartbreaking.

No matter what you may think of Oprah Winfrey, she is also a revelation in this film. Her strength in particular lets you know who Sofia is from the first five seconds. And Danny Glover’s Mister is awful, but hidden away, behind all of the vileness, is a hurt and hopeful teenager who never got to live the life he wanted to.

I could go on and on about this movie, but here are a few other things that I loved – When Celie dreams of her sister, no matter how old anyone else is around her, she imagines her in the teenage body that she knew. There are some very funny moments amidst the darkness, most of them involving Sofia or Shug’s husband, but a few others peppered in as well. Also, Alice Walker, who wrote the book, was a project consultant and Lawrence Fishburne is credited as Larry in these credits.

I recognize that I may be a bit biased because I’m “in” The Color Purple right now, but I would also argue that I could have been hugely disappointed since the stage musical was so incredible. I was decidedly not disappointed, though, and this film stands firmly on its own.

The Color Purple made me cry hard even though I knew what was coming. It is powerful and beautiful and harrowing and I am so incredibly glad that I finally watched it. This is a can’t-miss.

Runtime: 153 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: PG-13

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Yes

Did I Cry? Yes, absolutely

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms