Rated R, 122 minutes
Wes's Grade: A
Stirring, riveting Civil Rights drama "Selma" one of the year's best
The
compelling Civil Rights drama "Selma" co-produced by Brad Pitt and
Oprah Winfrey (who also appears in a supporting role) is a moving,
unshakeable portrait of what it took to gain the right for all to vote
in the United States. More than just a sweeping history lesson and
literally starting off with a bang in the film's first few frames (and
it comes quite unexpectedly, you'll be jolted), the superbly acted
"Selma" is also a stirring reminder that many made sacrifices for
others. The film chronicles the tumultuous
three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David
Oyelowo) led a
dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent
opposition. The epic march from Selma, Alabama to Alabama's capital,
Montgomery, culminated in
President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.
Masterfully directed by Ana DuVernay and written by Paul Webb, "Selma"
is a fascinating, powerful behind-the-scenes look at the Civil Rights
Movement in the South. DuVernay is part emotional history lesson and
part insightful character study, though it leans toward the former
instead of the latter, but all of it is rounded by excellent
performances. The large cast is led by Oyelowo's sublimely
pitch-perfect, impassioned performance as King, one of the strongest
performances this year and one that's sure to garner him an Oscar
nomination. Of the varied, strong supporting cast Wilkinson and Roth are
most memorable, as LBJ and George Wallace, respectively, while Oprah
herself gets in a few good scenes as Annie Lee Cooper, the woman who
wasn't afraid to deck Selma's racist sheriff. There are a handful of
gripping scenes that DuVernay skillfully handles, including the showdown
at the Selma courthouse and the Bloody Sunday crossing of the Pettus
Bridge in Montgomery, which is both stunning and electrifying; "Selma"
doesn't shy away from the violence of the day, and while difficult to
watch, provides help in understanding the movement. However, "Selma's"
most moving scene is an intimate scene involving King and the father of a
murdered protestor that will leave you considerably moved. As a
character study, it doesn't shed much light into the complexity of King
the man; we see some of his flaws and imperfections though the movie
doesn't expound on them; the film is content with weaving King's
personal story into the larger one at hand, and for what it is, works
fine. Energetically scored by jazz musician Jason Moran and handsomely
photographed by Bradford Young, it perfectly conveys the mood and the
sights and sounds of the time frame. Uplifting, riveting and expertly
crafted, the deeply satisfying "Selma" is a must-see and is one of the
best films of the year.
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