When I saw this film advertised, I wanted to see it because I like all the actresses. However, I didn't think it was a "theatre" movie. So I waited for DVD thinking the film would not be improved by seeing it on the big screen, which was the case. In fact, I think I enjoyed it more for being able to curl up on my sofa with it like I would with a good book. I will watch it again, so it's worth owning. Another plus, despite it being only a single disc edition, it has pretty good extras on it! There are featurettes on: behind the scenes, character studies, a tour of the set with the book author and more. They are all worth watching, unlike so many extras that are thrown on so they can say there are extras (trailers!? please.)
I have not read the book. But, after seeing the movie I now want to read it - which says a lot about how good it was. I love Queen Latifah, and she is known for good comedy roles, but I was struck by just how strong an actress she is. This role required subtle acting and she delivered. Often films set in this time period are mired in sadness and violence. This film shows the ugly part of racism, but doesn't dwell on it. The emphasis is more heartwarming. That's not to say it won't have you in tears at certain moments, for tragic reasons and for happy. Sometimes, the film goes over-the-top in pulling at heart strings and can be a bit over sentimental. However, I can forgive that since this isn't a popcorn movie. It's the story of one girl, and the women who come to shape her life. I considered giving it five stars, but realized that even though I liked it, it just wasn't up to the standard of films like [[ASIN:B000P0J092 The Color Purple]]. As an adaptation, TCP was stunning and the scale was nearly epic in the telling.
It's almost ironic that all three of the main actresses are first and foremost known as singers, yet each delivered an excellent performance that made me believe they were the character. Jennifer Hudson should consider dropping the music and concentrating on film - I'd certainly like to see more of her. Overall, I found the movie to be very good (but not outstanding) and the acting to be truly stellar. Recommended.