Writer and Director: Jeymes Samuels
A biblical epic that begins with no faith in God may be unusual, but Jeymes Samuels has specialised in disrupting traditional moviemaking expectation and, just as he did with the Western The Harder They Fall at the 2021 BFI London Film Festival, his latest genre shake-up, The Book of Clarence, upends the religious movie. At least it starts that way and while Samuels applies a similar cheeky swagger, the film itself begins to take itself more seriously and ends up losing sight of its objectives.
Brother of Apostle Thomas, Clarence has got himself into a bit of trouble with a local heavy when he loses a chariot race to Mary Magdelene. Given 30 days to repay, Clarence tries to make some quick money, realising that claiming to be the Messiah – or at least a Messiah – could be the answer. But Clarence refuses to believe in God and won’t acknowledge that his brother already works with the true Messiah, Jesus.
For about two thirds of its running time, Samuels uses The Book of Clarence to rethink what a religious movie should look like. From an all Black cast to the agency given to ordinary people, Samuels introduces some really enjoyable features that gives his movie a sharp contemporary relevance. The Romans are essentially the modern-day police force instituting random stop and search powers, claiming every man they stop fits a “profile” and employing excessive violence. Meanwhile, later in the film, Samuels has some fun with the ideas of a Black and white Jesus, blending together the biblical story with things that happen to several other characters, all of whom are equally persecuted.
Yet, as Clarence faces the consequences of his fraudulent behaviour, the film changes tone completely, becoming the same kind of serious and soulful movie that Samuels initially set out to subvert, only it feels less convincing after all the high jinks and humour. The grand faith-based teary ending hasn’t quite earned its place, and although the audience has followed Clarence throughout, the sudden switch is underpowered. Likewise a related love story with the gang bosses’ sister gives Clarence more reason to resolve his issues but there is little substance to the romance.
LaKeith Stanfield is a charismatic lead, his Clarence dismissive and pragmatic, getting himself into various scrapes with enough swagger and charm to talk himself out of most of them. Stanfield charts the slow belief in himself that carries the movie but creates space for the ensemble playing his own softer-hearted brother Thomas. RJ Cyler as sidekick brother Elijah, David Oyelowo as John the Baptist, Micheal Ward as Judas add lots of flair while there are cameos aplenty from Benedict Cumberbatch as a peasant, James McAvoy, Tom Glynn-Carney and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as evil Romans.
The Book of Clarence starts with a great premise but unlike The Harder They Fall it ultimately lacks faith in itself and becomes too formulaic.
The Book of Clarence is screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2023.
The Reviews Hub Score:
Lacks faith
