Purple Rain

Name: Purple Rain
Genre: Drama, Romance, Music, Musical
Released: July 27, 1984
Duration: 111 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Apollonia Kotero, Prince

1984

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

See All

6.9

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.9	Your Score
6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Purple Rain

Now Playing: Purple Rain

Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: July 27, 1984 | R

Starring: Apollonia Kotero, Prince

Summary: The Kid (Prince) meets an aspiring singer, Apollonia, and finds that talent alone isn't all that he needs. A complicated tale of his repeating his father's self destructive behavior, losing Apollonia to another singer (Morris Day), and his coming to grips with his own connection to other people ensues. [Warner Bros.]

Director: Albert Magnoli

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Music, Musical

Rating: R

Runtime: 111 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

The film is like East of Eden replayed as a hyperbolic rock fever dream. There are a few sour, juvenile moments, but this is the rare pop movie that works the way a great rock & roll song does: It tells a simple, almost elemental tale and uses the music to set it aflame. Read full review

Duane Byrge

Sensitive and highly visual, this Albert Magnoli-directed film is an accomplished and sophisticated example of storytelling. Even those who aren’t Prince fans are likely to be captivated by its energy, enamored with its simple, often poignant storyline. Read full review

Cynthia Kirk

Playing a character rooted in his own background, and surrounded by the real-life members of his Minneapolis-based musical 'family,' rock star Prince makes an impressive feature film debut in Purple Rain, a rousing contemporary addition to the classic backstage musical genre. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

If you like Prince's music, you'll love this movie. If not, stay away. Read full review

David Sterritt

The pop-music star Prince makes his movie debut in this bizarre drama about a rock singer with a troubled career and a miserable home life. Read full review

Vincent Canby

Like many album covers, Purple Rain, though sometimes arresting to look at, is a cardboard come-on to the record it contains. Read full review

Jay Scott

Purple Rain is not a revolution. It's not even a good movie. What it is, is a cosmic letdown. [27 Jul 1984]

SEE ALL 14 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

purpleidiot

Apr 29, 2016

10 for the music and the performance scenes......anytime Prince is on stage and playing, it is going to be great. The acting on the other hand???? That's gets a 1. I have no idea how some of the acting made it past the editing room. They obviously didn't have the budget to hire trained10 for the music and the performance scenes......anytime Prince is on stage and playing, it is going to be great. The acting on the other hand???? That's gets a 1. I have no idea how some of the acting made it past the editing room. They obviously didn't have the budget to hire trained actors in a lot of cases. LOL!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Habibiehakim

Jul 18, 2021

What a pleasant surprise, Purple Rain is not only fills with a surprisingly great performance by all the cast especially Prince, the music is fun, groovy, and rock and roll, if you never listen to Prince song before, just watch it, it's better when you heard it for the first time, overallWhat a pleasant surprise, Purple Rain is not only fills with a surprisingly great performance by all the cast especially Prince, the music is fun, groovy, and rock and roll, if you never listen to Prince song before, just watch it, it's better when you heard it for the first time, overall Purple Rain is surprisingly a fantastic film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Haandy

Feb 8, 2022

O filme não é la aquelas coisas, mas não chega a ser ruim, o Oscar de melhor canção original veio, Prince lenda

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

cspaq1

Apr 23, 2016

The showmanship and concert performances by Prince and Morris Day trump the bad acting and flimsy plot. The faults of the movie can be enjoyed ironically. I mean having a henchman throwing a clingy fling in a dumpster is something we all wish we could do instead of ignoring her texts.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Jennifer

Jul 7, 2007

Love Purple Rain. The acting is very bad in most parts but Prince gives a great performance. Watch this movie for the music and great performances by Prince and the Revolution.

2 of 2 users found this helpful

Renovatia

May 5, 2019

A higher score than a mere a 5/10 I cannot give despite having enjoyed the movie; The movie displays every attribute you'd expect from a b-movie.

Prince tries to keep his gig in some establishment. He soon has to compete with Appolonia's group ("Sex Shooter") which has been recruited byA higher score than a mere a 5/10 I cannot give despite having enjoyed the movie; The movie displays every attribute you'd expect from a b-movie.

Prince tries to keep his gig in some establishment. He soon has to compete with Appolonia's group ("Sex Shooter") which has been recruited by Morris Day - who looks like a stereotypical negro clown pimp. Two more subplots include Appolonia being a potential love-interest of Prince, though this looked more like the main theme. The second sub-plot was Wendy & Lisa's role; The guitarist and the keyboard operator feel underappreciated. Prince never listens to their input by ignoring their tapes for example. Since the get-go of this subplot, at 1/3rd of the movie, it's clear W&L wrote the "Purple Rain" gig. Will Prince learn his lesson and play their song? And why would Prince learn his lesson? Stay till the end of the movie to find out.

Maybe a third sub-plot was the theme of Appolonia's naked body - a beautiful body, beautiful breasts. Completely unnecessary and the nudity scenes felt out of place, but (((Hollywood))) eyh.

It was interesting to see Prince putting all of his emotion in a certain song. Never seen it before. It was a mix of laughable and endearing. Maybe this is really him, which in that case I'd retract the "laughable" part. The Revolution didn't play really a role. From the glimpses of Prince's crew I'd say most of them are gay or something. Everybody had a tiny little role to play, but said Prince's crew. Do they lack that much charisma and talent? I wouldn't know.

Perhaps Wendy and Lisa were the only ones with talent at that time. One has to observe the little things as they don't get much acting time. Also notice how the under-appreciation theme of the movie turned out to be a real issue. That's why W&L left Prince and began their own group. Acting-wise Appolonia's was the worst. The nude scenes described why she was hired.

For die-hard Prince fans only.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

luvdamovies

Jul 21, 2011

Purple Rain the movie is really bad. There is no sense in sitting through such garbage to listen to the music by Prince. The movie was difficult to sit through. I gave it about 50 minutes before I shut her down. The scenes were horrible. The acting was crud. The story line was terrible. TheyPurple Rain the movie is really bad. There is no sense in sitting through such garbage to listen to the music by Prince. The movie was difficult to sit through. I gave it about 50 minutes before I shut her down. The scenes were horrible. The acting was crud. The story line was terrible. They could have really did a good job with the movie, but boy did they fall off the cliff.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

SEE ALL 9 REVIEWS