Retro Film Review: Amazing Grace (2006)
Hollywood has long sought to convince us that the USA is the most advanced and freest country in the world, implying that the world was in the dark until the light of freedom, democracy, and human rights was ignited in America in 1776. However, this claim is somewhat difficult to reconcile with the fact that some of the architects of the great American Revolution had no qualms about having other human beings as their personal property. Attempts to address this imperfection in American democracy led to the bloodiest war in American history. Other nations, including those in the old and supposedly reactionary Europe, resolved this issue decades earlier and in a far easier, cheaper, and more elegant manner, as it can be seen in Amazing Grace, 2006 historical drama directed by Michael Apted.
The film is named after the famous Christian hymn written by John Newton (1725 – 1807), a British slave ship captain who experienced a spiritual transformation on one voyage and became not only an Anglican priest but also one of the leading advocates for the abolition of slavery. Newton (played by Albert Finney) appears in the film as a mentor to the main character, the reform-minded politician William Wilberforce (played by Ioan Gruffudd). Wilberforce in the late 18th century decided to devote all his energy to lobbying Parliament for a ban on the slave trade. Although Wilberforce enjoys the support and friendship of many, including even the young Prime Minister William Pitt (played by Benedict Cumberbatch), his initiative faces strong opposition from business circles, whose representatives, such as Barnstable Tarleton (played by Ciarán Hinds), argue that the slave trade is the economic foundation of the British Empire. When Britain goes to war with revolutionary France, these arguments gain strength, and Wilberforce must defend himself against accusations of undermining the war effort. Exhausted by political failure and illness, Wilberforce finds himself at the end of his strength, but a meeting with the young Barbara Spooner (played by Garai) revitalizes him and gives him the impetus to continue his seemingly lost fight.
Director Michael Apted, a distinguished British filmmaker is no stranger to historical themes, as evidenced by the first three episodes of the acclaimed HBO series Rome. The story of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain, however, posed a challenge for him, given that the process boiled down to writing petitions, preaching in churches, and the not-so-exciting parliamentary procedures, which are hardly attractive for contemporary viewers. The lack of cinematic action, on the other hand, deprived Amazing Grace of problematic content, making it one of the few films not aimed at children that can boast a mild PG rating.
Screenwriter Steven Knight attempts to address this issue by using flashbacks and introducing the character of Barbara Spooner as a dramatic turning point in the film. However, all these tricks cannot hide the fact that the characters in this film are predictably one-dimensional, as is the resolution itself.
Amazing Grace is primarily made watchable by its excellent cast (which includes the famous Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour as the Black activist Olaudah Equiano), as well as the perfect reconstruction of Britain at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century. The only moment in which the film deviates from the scholastic division of "good" and "bad guys" is when Wilberforce is forced to distance himself from his comrade Thomas Clarkson (played by Ruzfus Sewell), left-wing radical who views attempts at peaceful social reform as misguided and advocates for revolutionary violence akin to that which caused bloodshed in France and the rest of Europe. Wilberforce rejects these suggestions, which is why Amazing Grace lacks particularly thrilling scenes, while on the other hand, it shows that history can sometimes include quieter and more beautiful chapters.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
InLeo: https://inleo.io/signup?referral=drax.leo
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9