E-REVIEW: Selma

With the recent election of Donald Trump to the US presidency, we thought it appropriate to review a movie that examines the whole context of suffrage (the right to vote) and the civil rights movement within America. Whatever your political leanings, the highly charged issues of race and prejudice is at the heart of the controversy and upheaval in America today.

Welcome to E-Review, where we take a critical look at Movies, Web and T.V shows, Video games and other forms of electronic entertainment. This week’s review is Selma (2014).

Selma tells the story of the events of the city of Selma, Alabama in 1965 and the fight for protection under law, to prevent the discrimination against and exclusion of Black Americans (and ultimately any race in America) in the voting process. Black Americans technically already had the right to vote, but were experiencing systematic discrimination and intimidation while attempting to register to vote in certain parts of the south. In Selma in 1965, 50% of the population was black, yet only 2% were registered to vote. With this setting, Martin Luther King jr. played by David Oyelowo, James Bevel played by rapper common, Hosea Williams (Wendell Pierce) and  John Lewis (Stephan James) lead a march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama (the capital) to protest the oppressive measures that kept blacks voiceless and powerless in parts of the American south.  

Preserving the Legacy

This review will attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum. If you don’t know the story of Selma or are just vaguely familiar it may help to refrain from reading up on the events before watching the movie. Historical dramas are sometimes treated as if we already know the story and too often reviews tend to spoil the content of the movie for us by assuming we already know what happens. While this may be generally true for historical pieces, there are still subtle nuances to be discovered even for those who are familiar with the history. Additionally, there is an incredible and engaging story to be had for those experiencing the events for the first time. Ava Duvernay’s directorial ability really shines through. Her story telling choices help set the right mood and make this movie stand out even among the more recent slew of movies focusing on African American history and the black experience in general – more on this later.

This is a historical drama which means many things will have to be explained, usually via a tool called exposition. This typically involves straight out spewing information at the viewer. However, Duvernay and the writers employ simple, yet completely brilliant ways of giving these details through casual and conversational exchanges between characters – it never feels tedious. While there are moments of exposition to be sure, they are minimal and well managed; the moments where information is given seems entirely natural. Additionally, the violence in this movie is exceedingly effective not because of the quantity –it avoids being excessive – but because it is so appropriate and never glorified. The abuse the characters on screen suffer may make you respond in horror, shock and anger as appropriate but never feels cheap or overdone, which is a credit to the director and production team. The bottom line is that nearly everything moves the story forward; there is very little wasted in this movie. Additionally, there is an undeniable rhythm, the pacing is good and the interspersing of old spirituals and hymns puts you in sync with the characters point of view. The history, philosophy and culture of the civil rights movement is brought to life in a vibrant way using all the queues of sound, rhythm, voice, lighting, silence, physicality and more. It’s a truly interactive learning experience and is also very entertaining, perhaps not in the common sense due to the heavy subject matter but, because the material is so highly engrossing.  Something you may not notice until someone points it out to you, is that there is no voiced narration in this movie other than the spoken thoughts of the characters. That’s quite remarkable considering the genre but is a testament to the genius with which this movie was put together. The story feels more real for it, which is appropriate because after all, it is a true story.

The Struggle is Reel…

It’s almost as if Hollywood has suddenly realized they can actually make money off of black focused movies because, while still not very common, there was a time when such releases were few and far between. Noticeably, they have been mostly slavery or civil rights themed movies. However, increasingly movies with predominantly black cast are big budget, potential blockbusters and are less and less considered to be movies catering to just black people. Black leads are a bit more common than they once were and even the term “black” movie may rightly fall out of use. However, even with these hard-fought gains equal opportunity seems a very a long way off. In this way the black experience in Hollywood does mirror the greater struggle for civil rights and equality in America – there has been significant positive change but discrimination still exists. Even among the other movies depicting oppression and a resistance movement, Selma stands out for its ability to convey its message. One of the merits of strength, courage and perseverance through adversity without relying on the excess of violence. The struggle to maintain dignity in the face of brutal oppression meant to dehumanize, intimidate and humiliate. Yet, interspersed with this philosophical ideology, is the harsh reality as put forth by Martin Luther King Jr. – that the struggle may be a never ending one, as it is, in fact, a struggle for life.

This isn’t a fantasy movie where all issues are magically resolved, while there is triumph, there is no final happy ending but rather a promise of hope. The gritty details and unpleasantness that are too often ignored in big budget historical movies, is examined here and you may be surprised by some of the revelations related to some of the characters and events. Martin Luther King Jr. is not an invulnerable, mythical figure or super hero like in one of the latest marvel or DC blockbusters but a living, breathing,  human being with flaws. His portrayal by David Oyelowo is largely effective and competent in the more mundane moments. However, it is this simple, straightforward portrayal that, perhaps by design, really lets the more dramatic moments shine through. The frailty of his humanity, his hesitation, doubt and fear make Dr. King’s moments of courage, defiance and brilliant leadership even that more cheer-worthy. He seems to grow from a humble mouse about to be trampled underfoot, to a roaring triumphant lion.

The contributions from the other actors all add to the movie and (especially amongst the black portrayals) at no moment seem like acting – more like reliving. While the acting is generally praiseworthy, a particularly stand-out effort was by Carmen Ejogo who plays Corretta Scott King. Her scenes all made a noticeable impact partly due to the respectful treatment her character received in the script and direction of the movie but also due to the sheer presence of Ejogo on screen. What makes this feat so impressive is that she seems to have had less screen time than some of the other supporting actors but perhaps this also speaks to the efficiency with which she was used and the effectiveness of Ejogo’s depiction of Mrs. King. The depiction of the marriage between Coretta and Dr. King seems just as relevant to the struggle at the heart of the movie as the strategizing and maneuvering done by King and his team. Tom Wilkinson’s interpretation of president Lynden B Johnson is also worth a mention as his character is more nuanced than the other supporting characters and does not neatly fall into any one category. He manages to pull off this difficult task without seeming like a plot driven character that merely does what the script says but seems believable while doing it.

Unity in Diversity

Ultimately, it is the duality of this movie, the joy and sadness, peacefulness and rage, the unity and discord that left the most resounding impact on me. I believe that any human who watches this movie with an open mind can’t help but be overwhelmed with feelings of anger and sorrow over the treatment of the blacks and their supporters in this movie. Particularly when underscored by Martin Luther King’s non-violent movement, the abuse was meted out against complete innocents, women and children included. Words cannot describe the depth of emotion which is evoked…especially for those who actually lived and experienced these events first hand. In my view, the script does justice to all parties involved by showing the best and worst humanity has to offer with a treatment of respect and reverence where necessary, even while being bold enough to show the uglier, rougher edges. Selma also shows that when a group of people bound by citizenship and belief in a common good unite even for a relatively brief moment, even in the face of overwhelming opposition, incredible things can and will happen. This is a lesson from history that America and perhaps the world now needs to remember. According to the late Dr. Martin Luther King jr: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Final Verdict: …whatever WE make it…

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