The only thing I knew about The Book of Clarence when I sat down in my theater seat is that it was listed as “adventure” in the theater app so I was surprised when it opened on a crucifixion. Not THE crucifixion but a good old fashioned Roman crucifixion nonetheless. And the movie only got more surprising from there… and not in a good way. And then in a good way. And then in a head-scratching “what are we doing now?” kind of way.
The film stars LaKeith Stanfield as Clarence who doesn’t buy into this whole Jesus thing that his twin brother Thomas is on about. No, Clarence is busy trying to get his in ancient Judea… betting on chariot races and buying, selling, and using the devil’s lettuce. He only makes time for apostles and prophets when he gets in trouble with a local gangster… and he spends the movie spinning plates, one step ahead of the bad guys, Jesus, and the Romans.
This flick exists at the casual intersection of an actual bible epic and a Monty Python film. Nobody whistles the bright side of life on the cross… it doesn’t go that broad. But it IS funny randomly at random times in such a way that you simply aren’t expecting it Like… “was I supposed to laugh at that line? Surely not. But… wait… what?!?” The irreverence (and the stoner comedy vibes) put me off at first… but eventually whatever the director was up to got me on its wavelength.
On top of elbowing you in the ribs with sardonic old timey bible humor, it throws in a modern sensibility with its out-of-time dialog and a groovin’ soundtrack. Hell, just when it was already working for me, the flick hits you with a dance break and suddenly everything else the film might have done wrong is forgiven. Such a cool, modern scene that contextualizes whatever this film is about.
The movie largely casts black actors as the Israelites and apostles (and white folk as Romans, including James McAvoy having fun as Pontius Pilate). So twelve (edit: thirteen) black apostles and a black Jesus. Between that, the jokes, the soundtrack, and the weed, I’m sure there’ll be great indignity, gnashing of teeth, and tearing of clothes from some… “how dare Hollywood mock our religion” and “War on Christmas!” will be shouted. But those people will miss the twist… how the film turns into one of the best discussions on faith, God, Jesus, and the meaning of the Crucifixion. They’ll just have to get over *gasp* black Jesus (and since some can’t get over Black Santa, that’s a tall order).
Indeed, it’s in some of these powerful interpretations of biblical scenes that the movie comes to life. I’m not a lover of bible stories or most faith-based films, but this one works and does so without the modern crucifixion complex so many films by True Believers have.
This is an audacious, daring film by someone who probably Believes but doesn’t make it the foundation of his work. In so doing, he gets his point across… and if you laugh a bit and get the metaphor for modern civil rights, then all the better.
Score: 86