SundayFilmReview: The Book Of Clarence

AfricanBrew Rating: 5/10

Jeymes Samuel, the visionary director who brought us the star-studded cowboy blast "The Harder They Fall," returns to the director's chair with another original and unapologetic film. This time, he takes us on a spiritual journey, or rather the skeptical journey, of Clarence, played by the charming, nonchalant, and talented Lakeith Stanfield.

In this bold new film, Samuel bravely wades into the murky waters of religion—a space often unwelcoming to scrutiny. This film is not for everyone, and it's already ruffled some feathers. Critics accuse it of mocking religion, crying blasphemy as if we're back in the 1600s. It's a reminder that some beliefs still incite extreme violence even today in the name of Blasphemy.. (sighs). I digress, however, if you finish this film thinking it condemns religion, you might not have been paying close enough attention.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and nothing you ever do will be universally accepted or liked. In fact, if you don't have critics, you might not be doing much that makes any real difference.

Clarence lives his life like any normal human being, reminding us that people from past eras were just like us. They made mistakes, sought love, pursued redemption, and strived to be better despite the challenges life threw at them. Clarence's pursuit to improve himself, even without the lemons to make lemonade, is a relatable and timeless struggle.

The key takeaways for me were that despite Clarence not being religious or a believer in Christ or part of the 12 disciples, he performs beautiful acts of humanity and self-sacrifice. His loyalty to friends and others, even when given the chance to save himself and gain financially, is inspiring.

There is a brilliant version of this movie somewhere in the future with a couple of rewrites and consistency, and I hope to see someone dare to take on such a project. I definitely recommend this movie as a good watch. Until next time, enjoy your Sunday.