Ms. Purple

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Ms. Purple

Released Sep 6, 2019

1h 27m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

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44 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

A karaoke hostess reconnects with her estranged brother, forcing them to enter a period of intense self-reflection as their single father who raised them nears death.

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Critics Consensus

A finely layered drama with rich visal allure, Ms. Purple sifts sensitively through the emotional wreckage of a broken family.

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Scott Marks

San Diego Reader

It may look and feel like Hou-Hsiao Hsien (Millenium Mambo) and sound like Wong Kar-Wai (In the Mood for Love), but writer-director Justin Chon (Gook) doesn't have what it takes to do all that paraphrasing and still make the film his own.

Rated: 1/5

Sep 27, 2019

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Michael O'Sullivan

Washington Post

The empowerment trajectory of "Ms. Purple..." will surprise no one.

Rated: 2.5/5

Sep 24, 2019

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Carla Meyer

San Francisco Chronicle

Carey and Kasie have suppressed most outward signs of emotion. But Chu and Lee show the emotion roiling beneath the surface...

Rated: 3/4

Sep 19, 2019

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Carolyn Hinds

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Chu gives a wonderful and moving performance.

Rated: 8/10

Jul 29, 2021

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Ms. Purple is a finely tuned meditation on the struggles of a young generation bravely attempting to provide for their elders while trying to stay afloat in a cutthroat SoCal society that has scant room for humane impulses.

May 27, 2020

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Courtney Small

Cinema Axis

It is this mix of beauty and sadness that makes Chon's vision of Los Angeles' Koreatown so captivating.

Rated: B

Nov 12, 2019

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Audience Member

Another film that shows the talent and further potential of Justin Chon. 2017' Gook is recommended for anyone who enjoyed Ms. Purple. Again viewers are shown aspects of Asian American life we are not familiar with as we see the karaoke bar scenes of Japan are also here in the American West of Koreatown, L.A. Kasie works there, 'working' scuzzy men of very dubious character, while drunkenly dragging herself through those evenings with their blend of debasing oneself and enjoying the party. This allows her to take care of her terminal father rather than going the hospice route. Tiffany Chu is very impressive as Kasie, with Teddy Lee less so as her brother who ran out on the family as their mother did, but for less material reasons. This is a fractured family, and we feel it. Also, you can get swept away by Ante Cheng's cinematography, which soaks in the darkened streets and neons light of Los Angeles. 3.3 stars

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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dave d

Justin Chon is wise beyond his filmmaking years and his latest, 'Ms. Purple' is an illustration at just how gifted he can be. If he adds a little substance to his visual genius we could be looking at a star. It's not as good as his first film, 'Gook', but it's immersive. The ending didn't particularly work for me. It felt rushed and inauthentic. Chon takes a chance and uses unknown actors and that gamble pays off. I believed in the characters even if they were mostly one-note. The central characters lack any depth which means we could have used a few other players or the script needed to be further developed. What Chon does next will be a huge sign as to what the future holds, but if we're lucky it will be something great. Final Score: 7.8/10

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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nefasto r

"Ms. Purple" is a drama that does not have much to offer, except for a lot of miseries and a good soundtrack. Nothing stand up.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Beautiful film and story for LA natives and others

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/20

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Audience Member

An amazing film that touches on importance of family

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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Philip

I really was excited to see this sophomore film of Justin Chon, and I was not disappointed! I really liked the atmosphere of the movie. It was a good drama with some slow moments, but in the end i really liked it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/28/19

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Justin Chon

Director

Jake Choi

Johnny

Mark Krenik

Extra

Alfredo Tavares

Quinceanera Party Attendee

Crystal Lee

Sora

Tania Verafield

Hospice Care Administrator

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Ms. Purple: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A karaoke hostess reconnects with her estranged brother, forcing them to enter a period of intense self-reflection as their single father who raised them nears death.

Director: Justin Chon
Producer: Alex Chi, Justin Chon, Alan Pao
Screenwriter: Justin Chon, Chris Dinh
Distributor: Oscilloscope Pictures
Production Co: Electric Panda Entertainment, Plan Zero Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 6, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 17, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $78.4K
Runtime: 1h 27m

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