So I finally got to see Selma
SPOILER FREE
It's been a long and aggrevating journey to see the heroic and unforgettable story of Martin Luther King Jr. make it's way to the big screen but now I can happily say that journey has finally reached it's end. Not only is Selma out in theaters, but it's sparking numerous debates ranging from the lack of true diversity with this years Academy Award nominations, a debate that sparked when the nominations for this year were announced and director Ava DuVernay and lead actor David Oyelowo got snubbed of rightfully deserved Oscar nominations for this film. The film has left such a big impact on American audiences that 275,000 students in America will soon have the chance to experience the famous march on Selma in their own school auditoriums with the movie being screened free of charge as compliments of the filmmakers. It can be said that this film is this years 12 Years A Slave, except it most likely isn't going to go home with the Oscar this time. That golden boy is saved for either Boyhood or Birdman. So how good exactly is Selma?
It's very good. The film does exactly what it sets out to do and gives moviegoers a window to go back in time to one of America's darkest and controversial moments in history. The plot of Selma focuses on the campaign to secure voting equal rights led by Martin Luther King Jr. in an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. One of the key elements that makes this film work is the momentous performance by David Oyelowo as the reverend who throughout his entire campaign for equal rights preached for non violence. There are several moments in the film where that approach is tested by the higher powers of Montgomery such as Governor George Wallace played brilliantly by Tim Roth. There are several key players at work in this film with those two at odds with each other and President Lyndon B Johnson played by the always great Tom Wilkinson caught in the middle. There is a lot of controversy aimed at the portrayal of Wilkinson in this film for being shown as acting quite passive during the marches, not doing enough to help the marchers in securing voting rights and constantly assuring Martin Luther King that the voting rights act will happen but not right away. Director Ava DuVernay made a point to place more emphasis on the efforts of the marchers in this film rather than the efforts of the president. This might've been what ultimately cost her the best director Oscar nomination, and a reminder for viewers who are interested in this piece of history to do their own research after viewing this film to see how accurate it is. The performances are all stunning, and the film even manages to give a human portrayal of it's heroic figure. King is portrayed not as a Jesus Christ type of figure but as a human whose struggling to come to terms with the fact that his supporters are receiving little to no help from the government in their quest for equality, while at the same time battling his own personal demons. One character who brings out this aspect of King beautifully is his wife Coretta played by Carmen Ejogo. Can they seriously find anyone else who is pitch perfect for this part? She nailed it with the little time she had in the film. The moments she had in the film were quite powerful such as a sequence where she questions King about his marital affairs after listening to a tape recording sent by the FBI in an effort to defame King. It's a great scene for two reasons. The first being it touches on an aspect of Kings life that people easily overlook because of all the amazing things he did for others and two because it shows a more down to earth and human aspect of this entire story. Other awesome movie stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Martin Sheen, and Cuba Gooding Jr. make notable appearances throughout the film in support of the ultimate message of the movie. That message that's conveyed so powerfully within the 2 hour running time of Selma is that the civil rights movement was fought at a great cost for many Americans and is still a battle were fighting today.
Selma is a film that makes no efforts to sugarcoat the brutality of the civil rights movement and speaks to the viewers as a constant reminder that these events while being horrific didn't happen very long ago. It is a film that needs to be seen by everyone to learn about the past and to prevent the same mistakes from happening again in the future. Selma has a lot to offer in the realm of great filmmaking such as outstanding performances, beautiful imagery, a fairly accurate portrayal of historical events, and a better understanding of what was at stake in terms of fighting for these basic human rights. Every once in awhile, a film like this comes along that reminds people about how hard times were back then and how grateful we should be of the progress that's been made so far. But even with the progress that's been made, there is always room for more. That is the whole point of Selma.
9/10
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