For one thing, the Bible has been used both to condone and condemn slavery. If anything, the conclusion to take from history is that what occurs out of goodness or evil occurs beyond religion or atheism. For another, while it’s always legitimate to question the historical accuracy of biopics like “Amazing Grace,” they always come with the proviso that films, by their fictional nature, never can be absolutely and objectively true to historical reality. The end result is that the controversy actually detracts from the film’s cinematic power. “Amazing Grace” isn’t about generalities involving religion vs. the lack of the religion, but about a particular man at a particular time with particular motivations pushing against the odds to see slavery abolished throughout the British Empire. As to the reality of the film’s depiction of Wilberforce, the point might be granted to critics like Louis Proyect (http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2007/02/18/amazing-grace/) that we’re seeing a case of wishful thinking. However, the historical truth of a film doesn’t influence whether a film works as a film, and on that level “Amazing Grace” works smartly.
Actually, I’m much more shocked by the lack of advertising “Amazing Grace” seems to be getting. Instead, we drown in ads for movies like “300.” With taglines like “Prepare for Glory,” this comic-book movie seems not only like unabashed celebrations of war and violence, but makes heroic a people whose militaristic, dictatorial society was supportive of such practices as abandoning to the elements babies deemed weak or inferior. I admit I haven’t seen the film, but the trailer seems like a good enough indication of how unlike the movie is from “Amazing Grace.” Conclusion: Movies about moral people doing moral things without firing a shot just don’t capture the imagination like muscle-bound men spearing each other.
So, setting aside the question of historical truth and neglectful marketing, we have in the Wilberforce of “Amazing Grace” a heroic character whose nobility puts him on the same level as Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch. But dashing and soulful Ioan Gruffud — quite possibly today’s Peck — isn’t the only wonderful thing about a movie that gets everything right. Look at the cast: Cieran Hinds, Rufus Sewell, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, not to neglect the excellent cast of relative semi-knowns. Then consider how polished the film is. Michael Apted’s direction and Remi Adefarasin’s cinematography recreate London in such a way as to create a period piece that doesn’t draw navel-gazing attention to the fact that it’s a period piece. Beautiful photography, robust pacing and, not to forget, a script by Steven Knight that succeeds in putting meat on the characters’ bones without losing focus of the film’s point — all this adds up to a phenomenally captivating and inspiring film.
Technical Quality: ** (out of two)
Star Awarded!
Amazing Grace. Directed by Michael Apted. Written by Steven Knight. Starring Ioan Gruffud, Rufus Sewell, Cieran Hinds, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Youssou N’Dour and Benedict Cumberbatch. 111 minutes. Rated PG (for thematic material involving slavery and some mild language.)
