It’s been more than 40 years since Alice Walker released her book The Color Purple, and nearly as long since Steven Spielberg adapted it for the big screen in a film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. Now, the story is back on the big screen, just in time for the Christmas season.

In the years since the original adaptation, it’s made its way to Broadway in the early 2000s. The musical version breathes new life into the story and the struggle of a group of characters in the early 1900s in Georgia. The story spans decades and focuses mostly on Celie (Fantasia Barrino) and her decades-long struggle for peace, happiness and a life lived on her terms.

As we meet Celie, she is a 14-year-old girl whose life is a struggle. Her best friend is her sister, Nettie (Halle Bailey). She’s suffered abuse—mental and physical—at the hands of her father. She’s just had her second child, who was stolen from her and given away. And now she’s married off to Mister (Coleman Domingo), a cruel man looking for a servant more than a loving partner.

It’s not long before she’s separated from Nettie, forcing her to live in misery, servitude and isolation. And yet, Celie never loses her spark. She is influenced by her boisterous and free daughter-in-law, Sofia (Danielle Brooks), and her husband’s mistress, Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson). And she never gives up on one day being reunited with her sister and the children she lost years earlier.

This isn’t always an easy story to watch. What happens to Celie throughout much of her life is difficult. But there’s beauty in her struggle and in the way she never loses her soul and, more importantly, her faith. As played by Barrino, you can’t help but invest in Celie’s journey and root for her to succeed.

The cast is also buoyed by some great supporting performances. Henson is delightful as Shug Avery, commanding the scenes she’s in. I also quite enjoyed Domingo’s work. He’s having a great year and the arc of his character in this film is often delightfully played. But perhaps the biggest star for me was Brooks. She has a great presence in all her scenes and is a powerful and engaging presence in the film.

Director Blitz Bazawule does a beautiful job of bringing the story to life. The visuals capture the characters and the era, while the musical sequences are powerful and build on the narrative. The Color Purple is a triumph and well worth seeing on the big screen this holiday season.

The Color Purple opens nationwide on Christmas Day.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.