Amazing Grace

PG	Rottentomatoes.com Rating:70%	2006
(Thematic elements)	Picky Flicks Quote: "Impressively directed, politically relevant and...inspirational, this is an enjoyable, engaging drama with strong performances from its talented cast." -Matthew Turner, View London	RUNTIME: 1hr. 51 mins.
Visit:www.screenit.com for complete details		Movie Mood: Appreciative

In today’s culture (wow, I feel like I aged about thirty years just writing that phrase), I must admit that I’m surprised that a movie like Amazing Grace exists. That a historically accurate, emotionally-charged, positively spun depiction of an evangelically Christian social activist can be made with skill and verve (and, perhaps mostly importantly, a hefty budget) gladdens my heart (oops! there goes another decade of my life; what’s with my dowager vocabulary today?). Not only that, but it gives me hope that perhaps someone out there still cares a little about the weirdos like me who like to rant about integrity in movies.

Amazing Grace highlights a worthy story—the true tale of William Wilberforce, an Englishman and member of Parliament who, it can be said with very little exaggeration, was likely the most powerful and tenacious force behind the eventual abolition of slavery the British Empire over. In fact, the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 was passed a mere three days before Wilberforce died. This simple fact helps to redeem what could have otherwise been a bit of a depressing story.

Why depressing? Well, Wilberforce was a godly man who campaigned tirelessly for the rights of the oppressed and helpless. And he pushed on through ill health, ridicule from his peers, and defeat after defeat. All inspiring stuff. Even so, his exertions remained unrewarded…for twenty-six years. And all of those efforts only produced a diminished form of slavery, not a complete abolition of it—at least until the Slavery Act I mentioned above.

Now, I’m not in the business of summarizing historical events. There’s a reason this blog is not titled PickyParliamentFacts. Still, it’s important, in this era of “based on a true story” crocks, to understand the actual, documented facts that point to the perseverance and conviction it took for someone like Wilberforce (and those who battled with him) to follow his conscience to the bitter end.

The film boasts a veritable Who’s Who of British acting talent: beginning with Albert Finney and Michael Gambon (whose gravelly voices and craggy visages are so similar as to be almost interchangeable) and continuing right on down the list to Rufus Sewell, Romola Garai (great name, huh? : )), and, of course, Wilberforce himself: the talented Ioan Gruffud (another naming triumph; what is with these Brits?!) of Horatio Hornblower fame (if you’ve never seen HH, look it up; it’s well worth your time—especially if you’re a guy; my husband loves it). If you said, “Huh?!” to half (okay all) of those names, don’t worry. You’d recognize the faces, and even if you didn’t, you’d appreciate their mastery of the art of acting.

Gruffud, as the much beleaguered and sickly Wilberforce, is very good. He has a noble face, with a long, aristocratic nose and sad, puppy eyes that convince you of his determination even when his wide lips tremble with fatigue. Garai is also strong as Wilberforce’s (much) younger wife who has a great deal of brains and virtue of her own hiding behind her beautiful, alabaster face. She embodies that “behind every great man…” adage.

But the film could not ride on its principles’ shoulders alone and succeed, which is fine because it doesn’t have to. The supporting cast’s stellar performances bolster up an already stirring story until we feel as if we know these people and certainly that we care about what happens to them.

Amazing Grace does, at times, get a little bogged down in the details. There are a few late night meetings of the “radicals” (what opponents of slavery were considered at the time) that may lose the viewer with the wandering mind. But I would rather a film like this skew toward overly sincere than treat such a serious subject matter lightly.

As a Christian, I also found it particularly gratifying to see how Michael Apted (a first-time feature film director doing a wonderful job) wove into the story the threads of John Newton’s life. As the author of one of Christendom’s most famous hymns, “Amazing Grace,” from which the film derives its title, he is a truly inspiring example of the transforming power of Christ’s love. The fact that he captained a slave ship for years and then, following a conversion experience, began to campaign for the abolition of the very thing that made him a wealthy man testifies to the authenticity of his faith and lends a gravity to his support for Wilberforce that an unfamiliarity with Newton’s background omits.

Ultimately, this is a story of triumph. But it’s a crock-pot version, not a microwave one to be sure. But I maintain that its long-time-coming nature makes the much-fought-for success all the more rewarding. Amazing Grace truly is an amazing story and one well worth watching.

Until next Wednesday, stay picky! Your mind will thank you later.