ironhorse_iv Review of Selma

Selma (2014)

Let Freedom Ring! Selma is a highly engaging film about the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It's a must-watch.

[8/10 · 29 January 2015]

Selma, might not be in the running for any 2015 Academy Award categories, but the snubbing, wouldn't stop the film from being a captivating portrayal of the Selma to Montgomery march of 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. Seeing this play out on film was indeed a great watch. With an array of wide shots and gliding camera-work, under gospel and melancholy score, director Ava DuVernay delivers. You really get how the admired leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his followers prompted change. Oyelowo really digs deep in the role of M.L.K. He play King with a wide acting range; from being grand speaker of sermons, to him, playing the quiet defeatism when it come to confronted by his wife, Coretta (Carmen Ejogo) about his infidelity or his misjudgment when it comes to how the Civil Rights, should be run. A scene where the lively group sits down for a home-cooked meal even show a charming human side of Martin Luther King Jr, that's rare to see. It was great to see, Oyelowo overcome, years of being typecast as the over the top angry black man in these racial dealing movies. I was really glad, that Oyelowo fought very hard for 7 years to get the role of King, and found a way to get his biggest critic, Lee Daniels, the original director attached, off the project, because, in my opinion, I found Lee Daniels to be a really horrible director. Most of the supporting characters were pretty great in their roles. This movie allows Carmen Ejogo to play Coretta Scott King, a second time and she just as good as her performance in 2001's TV Movie, 'Boycott'. The historical accuracy of the film's story has been the subject of controversy, particularly with regard to Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson and his relationship with King. The film portrayal of Johnson is indeed, less flattering than it should be, accusing the president for being a time-wasting political leader that allow the FBI to monitor and harass King, on his watch. Maybe, there is some truth to that, but I really like how Tom Wilkinson portray him as a very complex character with way too much political problems to handled, at one time. Tim Roth as Governor George Wallace was wonderful. I love the tense scene between him and LBJ. Still, there were some characters that didn't get much of film time. In Depth examine of characters like Viola Liuzzo (Tara Ochs), seem to missing. The movie end credits, makes it seem like she was a big character in the film, but you rarely see that. I like Oprah Winfrey's bit part in the film as Annie Lee Cooper. It seems like she was a big part of the film, but she rarely mention, toward the end. Other mainstream actors like Cuba Gooding Jr. as Fred Gray and Dylan Baker as J. Edgar Hoover should had been cut out of the film, because they couldn't act, even in their short scenes. Even big historical characters like Malcolm X (Nigel Thatch), seem lost in the odd pacing of the film. We see him, talking to Coretta, about joining the movement, and its leads to nothing. Later in the film, King mention that he was assassinate, a few weeks early, but there was no scene with him, getting whacked off. There was little to no reason, why he was brought in the story, because his character play so little to the Selma movement success. DuVernay's movie structure is indeed, bit off. The movie make it seem that the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing of 1963, happen during King receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. I know, Ava DuVernay did this for a story telling stand-forth, and it kinda works, but for anybody that know history. These small changes can be, a bit jarring. While, the movie isn't a documentary, and I'm willing to take artistic license. I just thought, maybe they could had patch up, some of these gaping holes and make it a lot focus driven film. Racism is difficult to depict on screen. Even at its most realistic, it can seem cartoonish in modern context. At times, the movie seem a bit harsh when portraying White Southerners. I really doubt, that they're all racists. The film makes it seem like the good whites folks came from the North, all to support, the Civil Rights movement, after seeing the brutal attacks at that Bridge. That's hardly the truth. There were a lot of White Southerners followers within MLK's group even before that event. Overall: Some people think this film was just create to stir the already tense race issue, since recent events like the Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant and Michael Brown's shootings have put people already on the edge. Because of movies like this is why there is so much racism in society because animosity never goes away. Certain black groups will be always eyeful and paranoia. White people will feel unwanted, and feel with guilt. We get it already. Racism is bad. Yes, a lot of movies feature black actors, focus way too much on the race card. There are other issues, black people go through. The subject that's never brought up which is more relevant is class. Racism is tied to classism. I think the movie kinda hints at that. So, it get some credit. While, this movie on the surface, seems like throwing fuel in the racial-tensions fire. I glad that films like this exist. Even if it's not teaching you anything new that you don't already know. They help people know, about their history and encourage them to more positively impact their future through an attitude of compassion and a reverence for change and progress towards equality in a peaceful matter. This is one of the movie's greatest strengths and why it's a must-watch.