​FILMS

selma

2015 review number 21:

Selma: (Drama): 90 out of 100: Here is an important and powerful movie that documents the civil rights movement in the United States during the 1960s. It is an important movie as it reminds us of the injustices that occurred to the blacks in the past and it is a powerful movie in that the images that are shown on screen resonate with the anger and frustrations that are felt by the blacks. It's a blow by blow account of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights.

The movie begins with Martin Luther King (David Oyelowo) telling his wife Coretta (Carmen Ejogo) that he feels guilty about collecting the Nobel Peace prize as his brothers back home in America are still suffering from being poorly treated. We are then witness to some scenes showing us why it was important for King to negotiate with President Lyndon Baines Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to allow the blacks to vote. King takes his protests to Selma, Alabama where he is joined by Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) activists. In the meantime, the authorities including Johnson, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and Alabama Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth) all do their best to prevent the protest marches from taking place.

David Oyelowo is superb as King. He should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance. When you hear him speak you feel like he is the real King. It also helps that he is not well known so it just doesn't feel like a celebrity taking on the role of an iconic figure. Wilkinson is his usual reliable self as President Johnson and Roth exudes villainy as the Alabama Governor. He's always been good in playing these types of roles where the audience despises him. There are also some solid cameos by Oprah Winfrey, Martin Sheen and Cuba Gooding Jr.

The period detail is evident in the production design and costumes. The film makers have successfully recreated the era. Special mention must go to the director Ava DuVernay for ensuring that the scenes don't become too melodramatic and the images are powerful enough to generate the tension between the characters and the situations they find themselves in. DuVernay and Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) should have received directing nominations instead of Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher) and Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game).

The music score is understated which is a good thing as it could have been loud and over bloated to generate sentimentality. When the violence does occur, the sound editing and editing itself come to the fore and demonstrate why this movie is also an achievement on a technical level. You can feel every blow to the body just like you are standing only metres from the incidents.

If you are a civil rights historian or just somebody interested in American history, this excellent movie is a must-see. If you are after a thoroughly engaging drama, then you can't go past this. This is a significant part of America's history and it needed to be told. Thankfully, it has been told in way that will be forever remembered.

Starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson and Tim Roth
(129 minutes)
Parental advice: Adult themes and violence
Additional scene during or after credits: Yes, during the credits there are still photographs of scenes from the movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6t7vVTxaic (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Monday 9th February, 2015)

 

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