I don't mind a film which uses tragedy to pull at heart strings, but it has to be intelligent and tasteful. The Color Purple is no such film. Spielberg lays the tragedy on with a thickness which makes it seem ludicrous. It seems the vast majority of the film does little more than try to insist upon its viewers that this woman's life is sad and unfair using methods which are so exaggerated and transparent that it distracts the viewer from getting lost in the story and simply keeps reminding them that they're watching a film which is trying far too hard to make them feel something.
Some examples of this over-reaching can be seen in Whoopi Golberg's portrayal of Celia; the ridiculous state Celia first finds her new home in; the way Celia and Shug read in turn; and the irritating mood music played on cue each time Spielberg tries to saturate us in whatever emotion he's trying to evoke in us. The concept of subtlety has been completely lost on Spielberg in this film.
The film does have its saving graces however. Apart from Goldberg's overdone portrayal of Celia, the acting is good, particularly from Oprah. The story itself (which I have not read) would quite probably be very emotional and interesting if it hadn't been told with such awkwardness. Margaret Avery's singing was divine, truly the only thing in the film that made me authentically feel something other than the urge to stop watching. For these things I give the film a 4. Had Spielberg not corrupted it so badly it quite possibly might even be worth the 7.6 stars it currently sits at on IMDb.
Some examples of this over-reaching can be seen in Whoopi Golberg's portrayal of Celia; the ridiculous state Celia first finds her new home in; the way Celia and Shug read in turn; and the irritating mood music played on cue each time Spielberg tries to saturate us in whatever emotion he's trying to evoke in us. The concept of subtlety has been completely lost on Spielberg in this film.
The film does have its saving graces however. Apart from Goldberg's overdone portrayal of Celia, the acting is good, particularly from Oprah. The story itself (which I have not read) would quite probably be very emotional and interesting if it hadn't been told with such awkwardness. Margaret Avery's singing was divine, truly the only thing in the film that made me authentically feel something other than the urge to stop watching. For these things I give the film a 4. Had Spielberg not corrupted it so badly it quite possibly might even be worth the 7.6 stars it currently sits at on IMDb.