Movie Breakdown: The Book Of Clarence

Pre-Screening Stance:

I’m not exactly sure what the trailer for The Book Of Clarence is selling, but I do know that I like LaKeith Stanfield quite a bit. Also, Jeymes Samuel did a pretty solid job writing/directing 2021’s The Harder They Fall.

Post-Screening Ramble:

The Book Of Clarence is pretty much in line with director Jeymes Samuel’s western The Harder They Fall and other mixed-genre efforts (like A Knight’s Tale) in that it’s a classic story fully drenched with modern sensibilities. The film follows Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), a regular dude in A.D. 33 Jerusalem who spends his days selling weed and trying to change his stars so that he can land his dream girl (Anna Diop) and show up his twin brother (also played by Stanfield), who just so happens to be one of Jesus’ apostles. After failing to win a chariot race against Mary Magdalene (Teyana Taylor), Clarence finds himself in debt to Jedediah The Terrible (Eric Kofi-Abrefa) and generally just shit out of luck. Eventually, this inspires him to come up with the ultimate grift, which is to declare himself as the new Messiah. It works … until it doesn’t.

As much as I appreciated the kinetic filmmaking at play in The Book Of Clarence, it’s the cast that’s the most noteworthy element – they’re all just so committed to the ridiculousness of everything that you feel the need to buy in as well. Stanfield is the standout, of course, with his pair of very different roles, but there’s also a lot of great minor performances, like James McAvoy as Pontius Pilate, David Oweloyo as John The Baptist, Alfre Woodard as Mother Mary, Omar Sy as Barabbas, and Benedict Cumberbatch as the beggar Benjamin. I could actually go on, but you get the point, everyone is really entertaining, and it’s their collective efforts that carry an otherwise messily constructed film that suffers from some awkward tonal shifts (from serious to satirical and vice versa) and a runtime that stretches on for far too long.

So yeah, The Book Of Clarence isn’t perfect – there’s a reason it’s coming out in early January – but it’s got more going for it than you may think. Consider giving it a go when it hits theaters this Friday, January 12.

One Last Thought:

The segment of the film with Benedict Cumberbatch is a delight.