The Book Of Clarence - Movie Review

The Book of Clarence is a biblical comedy-drama.

Before a screening of ‘The Book of Clarence,’ writer and director Jeymes Samuel appeared on screen to thank the audience for being there. Samuel expressed his love for epics set in biblical times by shouting out films like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘The Ten Commandments,’ but also conveyed his desire to tell new, fictional stories that weave their way into history as we know it. Samuel successfully did this with ‘The Harder They Fall,’ a compelling western told through a black lens that trotted onto Netflix in 2021. Samuel’s newest film, ‘The Book of Clarence, ‘ infuses a bit of hip-hop and comedy into his take on a biblical epic, resulting in a film that’s sometimes tonally disjointed but entertaining.

‘The Book of Clarence’ stars LaKeith Stanfield as Clarence, essentially one of the earliest versions of a stoner living in the time of the rise of Jesus Christ. Clarence is a non-believer who refers to Christ’s miracles as ‘tricks’ or ‘illusions.’ Clarence eventually plots a plan and claims to be a new Messiah to earn a profit and pay off debts.

Stanfield continues to be one of our most interesting young actors.

He brings a level of gravitas and charisma to Clarence and Clarence’s twin brother, Thomas (Stanfield plays dual roles). The film features a large and memorable ensemble cast, including RJ Cyler, Omar Sy, David Oyelowo, Michael Ward, Alfre Woodard, Anna Diop, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, and more. James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch also appear in small but notable supporting roles where both actors have a lot of fun.

The film covers a lot of ground. We see chariot races and gladiator battles, sometimes tonally at odds with drug sequences that feature characters floating in the air and quirky editing with spotlights on characters’ faces. The story also takes detours into much more serious religious realizations, which are warranted but also throw an occasional wrench into the pacing.

Verdict

I give ‘The Book of Clarence’ 3.5 out of 5 stars. It is sometimes all over the place, but it’s still a fun movie experience despite some tonal zig-zags. The large, diverse cast is clearly having a great time and making some bold choices. As director Jeymes Samuel said before the film, he just wants it to be “a dope time at the movies.”