I was not a fan of Prince before I saw Purple Rain for the first time. I had never had more than a passing interest in his work, and didn't think that would ever change. One day, however, after buying Purple Rain for the girlfriend (calling her a ‘huge' Prince fan, would be a ‘huge' understatement), we sat down and watched it, and my opinion of Prince and his music was forever changed. I am now of the opinion that there are few, if any, entertainers who are as talented, or as enjoyable to watch, as Prince. Purple Rain is the defining film in the genre of rock-based drama.

Musically, Purple Rain, is simply incredible. In its purest form, and broken down to its simplest function, the film is merely a showcase for Prince's musical talents and showmanship. Nearly every song is played in its entirety, some on stage, such as Let's go Crazy and the title track. Some are merely background music during the film. Regardless, the music is phenomenal, and even the tracks by Morris Day (Prince's real-life cousin) and the Time are great fun. This is hugely beneficial, as these music sequences make up a good portion of the films near-two-hour running time.

When the film is not basking in Prince's glorious showmanship, there is a simple plot involving an abusive father, frequent competition between The Kid (Prince), and rival group, The Time, as well as the obligatory romantic sub-plot. What is here is surprisingly effective, as the situations are quite believable, and unnerving, each adding a certain depth to Prince's character. While the majority of the cast essentially play themselves, there are a few credible actors involved, namely Clarence Williams III, and Olga Karlatos (recognizable to fans of Fulci's Zombi 2 and Murder Rock) as Prince's parents, aptly credited as Mother and Father. No one in the film is given a full name, they are referred to by their first names only, and Prince's central character is referred to simply as 'The Kid'. While this certainly limits the characterization of these characters, we can't forget that the primary objective of the film is to entertain through music.

While the music is phenomenal, and the story is simple but effective, the acting is terrible on nearly all parts. Obviously Clarence Williams is a very credible actor, however, nearly everyone else, due to their limited acting experience, deliver some stilted dialogue. This is not much of a concern, however, as there are few characters who have more than a combined total of more than a few minutes of screen time. Prince is the only one who matters here, as this is his film. While he certainly struggles with some of his dialogue, he has a screen presence that is undeniable, and is far more successful with his delivery of facial expressions... And his glasses were hilarious.

There is certainly some questionable material included in the film, perhaps the one that draws the most attention is when Prince talks through a puppet, by way of ventriloquism. It's strange, and doesn't seem to have much purpose within the context of the film; however, scenes such as this are relatively scarce, and the film succeeds far more often than it fails. Prince is phenomenal on stage, Morris Day is hilarious, and the film is incredibly enjoyable. Fans of Prince will love it, and those that aren't may find themselves in the former group by the film's end. Purple Rain is the most significant and important film in its genre, and deserves to be seen by anyone with an appreciation of music. Preferably 80's music…