The Book of Clarence: Getting to Jesus Via Atheism and Mimicry.

MOVIE INFO:

Streetwise but down-on-his-luck, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.

REVIEW:

The Book of Clarence is advertised as a comedy. It’s really a religious historical drama that asks some serious questions. If you were expecting a comedy, you’ll leave disappointed. If you wanted a drama, then you’ll be majorly surprised.

Thematically and tonally it’s more like William Wylers Ben Hur mixed with a very serious version of Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Jesus pops up as a guest star. The big difference is that Clarence (LaKieth Stanfield) gets to God through a disgruntled atheism and not a hobbled optimism disapponted in the Creator’s Creation. The dominant cast is predominantly black, including Jesus. The minority Romans, all white and British, bring in not only the expected bigotry but a schintella of colonialism to the plot mix..

More importantly, these folks are recognizably human and flawed, not one-dimensional stained glass icons. Barabbas (Omar Sy) is a gladiator and an eventual freed slave here. Mary Magdalene (Teyona Taylor) is not a whore, but a semi successful business woman caught in the snares of the ruling jealous male hierarchy. Thomas, of whom Clarence is his twin, is an arrogant, insolent and condescending to his ten minute younger brother. and holier than thou to everyone else.

The screenwriter and director Jeymes Samuel clearly knows his New Testament as well as his biblical cinema. There’s a reference for the old school Wyler epic in the cinematography, the wide screen staging and the way the famous chariot race is updated to include elements found in car chases- obstacles and pedestrians to avoid, crashes and flips. It’s a coming to faith through faithlessness story, literal to the gospels when it has to be, but mainly nitty-gritty, cloaking its conversion in Scorsese good fellow plot echoes.

Clarence is a conman and hustler who lives and takes care of his mother (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) ever since Thomas (Stanfield also) went to follow Jesus and became an apostle. Clarence owes some serious money to Jedediah the Terrible (Eric Kofi-Abrefa) who threatens to crucify Clarence in thirty days if he doesn’t pay up. Clarence is also in love with Jedediah’s sister (Anna Diop) and is trying with the help of his best friend (RJ Cyler), to raise the money to stay alive and get her to take him seriously. After some mishaps— including a very funny scene with John the Baptist (David Oyelowo) and a fight-turned-friendship with a gladiator named Barabbas (Omar Sy) — Clarence has an idea. There seems to be a lot of money in being a messiah, a guy who goes around preaching and collecting followers. Why not him?

Thus begins The Holy Grail tribute that occupies The Book of Clarence middle section. Clarence is essentially an anachronism stuck in a biblical epic– an atheist stoner who pushes first century weed and gambles. The narrative gets a bit unfocused as it drifts from one plot check item to another- baptism, the building of disciples and followers, the need to build credible reasons for his future crucifixion at Roman hands. It gives the audience that comedy the ad campaign promised. It’s a breather before the crucifixion.

Samuel is telling a contemporary spin on the Jesus story. Clarence’s potential can only happen until his conversion is complete and he totally believes in God and the plan the Lord has for him. This requires miracles, some magical realism and a Roman tribunal. It’s finding the divinity inside that matters most to Samuel. He’s delivering an empowerment plea for the audience to break free of their own chains. The Book of Clarence can be overbearing and repetitive, but it’s also overwhelmingly effective.

The movie takes big swings and mostly connects. It’s combination of the sacred and irreverent is pretty engaging. Shooting for the stars sometimes means getting bogged down in the mud.