O Livro de Clarence

Before I go negative, I have to give major props to LaKeith Stanfield. His performances are always convincing. And this is no exception. He kills it. I said wow multiple times. I think he's reached star status. The rest of the cast does a good job as well.

As for the movie overall, it's not actively bad in any way. A lot of it just feels off. The story is a bit clunky. Some of the jokes land while others don't. I'm not really attached to any characters other than the lead.

I just wasn't into it. I wasn't engaged and I had difficulty getting through it. Maybe it's just not for me.

I look forward to LaKeith's next project.

(1 viewing, 2/6/2024)

This movie was an interesting take on making a camp, religious mix. Lakeith was incredible (obviously), especially toward the end as the film grew more emotional. Omar Sy was also a phenom as a stoic side character.

Many jokes landed, but the script did not. Many of the female characters were quite one dimensional (although that may be due to the time period of it). Some of the allegories the film attempted to make were forced. The slapstick comedy with religion was pretty clever, but it didn't make up for a lot of the unexplained hijinks throughout the film. Although, it did make some great, hilarious use of both McAvoy and Cumberbatch in some minor yet great roles. Jeymes Samuel certainly has unique visions and a place in the future of filmmaking, but for me, this one fell a little short.

My wife and I caught The Book of Clarence (2023) in theaters last night. The storyline follows two weed dealers in Jerusalem during the time of Christ, facing financial hardships and attempting to become apostles or create their own Messiah to solve their problems.

Directed by Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall), the film stars LaKeith Stanfield (Knives Out), RJ Cyler (White Boy Rick), Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave), James McAvoy (Split), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), and Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One).

This movie has a fantastic premise and a captivating start, especially in the first three quarters. The authentic attire and settings, along with stellar performances from the cast, contribute to the film's charm. The comedic elements are brilliant, reminiscent of a biblical Half Baked. Memorable scenes like the "get out" and "virgin" conversations, slap scenes, and baptism provide comedic gold. The inclusion of an '80s/'90s retro dance sequence adds to the enjoyment. Unfortunately, the conclusion takes a deep and serious turn, causing a drastic mood shift that dulls the movie and leaves the ending feeling flat.

In conclusion, The Book of Clarence offers enough worthwhile content to make it a must-see, but it falters at times, preventing it from achieving classic status. I'd give it a score of 6-6.5/10 and recommend it once.

The Book Of Clarence might not be for everyone. It does reimagine a few things from the Bible and tells it from another point of view. This however might upset some who think this is being a mockery of religion as it's certainly far from that. In fact after watching this if you think it is saying something bad about religion you weren't really paying attention to the film. LaKeith Stanfield does a great job here playing our lead Clarence. The rest of the supporting cast is also terrific as well. Jeymes Samuel is in the Directing chair and he knows the type of film he is trying to make here. Coming off a strong film with The Harder They Fall, Jeymes does another strong job. My only complaint is I wish a little bit more was going on toward the middle of the film as it does start to drag on just a tad. Also the music selection was hit and miss as well. Overall I feel The Book of Clarence is going to become a cult classic when the dust settles. The Book of Clarence gets a solid 8 stars out of 10 from me.

Clarence, a non-believer in the messiah Jesus and a debtor, is willing to do anything for the woman he loves and his mother. With the deadline for his debt fast approaching, Clarence decides to do something drastic. Clarence declares himself a messiah and travels around Jerusalem, spreading his word of knowledge and performing "miracles." The possible conflict with the Romans and God comes with the success of being a messiah.

This film is part satire, part Biblical re-enactment, and part alternate history. The satire comes from applying modern ideas, concepts, and solutions in ancient times. The Biblical re-enactment comes from many of the people from the Bible are characters in this movie and are portrayed the same way. The alternate history take is how Jesus is shown compared to other Biblical films. The movie has comedy, morality, drama, spirituality, and aspects of Christianity. The movie is broken up into parts and is a good length. This is a decent watch for anyone willing to approach history, religion, and spirituality with an open mind.