Movie Review: The Book of Clarence

How do you capture the magnitude of Golden Age Hollywood’s sword-and-sandal epic with a modern sensibility? This is one of the questions that The Book of Clarence seeks to answer. Directed, written, and scored by Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall), it’s a unique if tonally uneven mix of sincere homage to biblical epics like The Ten Commandments and irreverent entries like Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

The year is AD33 and Clarence (Stanfield) just can’t win. Struggling to care for his mother (Jean-Baptiste) while his twin brother, Thomas (Stanfield again), went off to become an apostle, he’s in debt to mobster Jedediah the Terrible (Kofi-Abrefa) and in love with Jedediah’s sister, Varinia (Diop). Aside from these everyday struggles, Clarence and the other citizens of Jerusalem are living under Roman occupation, an oppressive force that affects all the other problems in Clarence’s life. In a time of miracles and messiahs, Clarence’s dilemma is timeless: How does someone get through life while under untenable circumstances? Ultimately, Clarence decides the best way to work through all of these challenges is to become the newest messiah, in the vein of Jesus of Nazareth (Pinnock), and embrace the glory and money that comes with it despite his own lack of faith.

The ensemble cast at the heart of the film is part of why it works for the most part. Stanfield in particular is great in his dual role as Clarence and Thomas: Alfre Woodard, as Mother Mary, is always a welcome presence and does a great job with what she’s given here, while Omar Sy is particularly great as Barabbas, a self-proclaimed immortal with a heart of gold. Eric Kofi-Abrefa’s performance as Jedediah the Terrible is memorable as well, imbuing Jedediah with strength and intimidation but delivering one of the most moving monologues in the film that ties the biblical struggles of the film with ones we see in our world daily.

As for that mix of new and old, while the classic staging and costuming of the epics The Book of Clarence is referencing are present, there are plenty of fresh and new elements to bring something new to the genre. We’re shown compelling, visceral point-of-view shots that take us right into the middle of breathless chariot races and brutal crucifixions. There are miracles and magical realism, too: Stones stop in midair, people float after taking a hit from a hookah, and the wounded are healed.

Buoyed by these creative bursts of fresh air and great performances from its ensemble cast, The Book of Clarence has a lot to offer but is weighed down by its tonal irregularities. At times it feels like it wants to be a comedy, à la History of the World, Part I, and at others it seems solidly part of serious dramas like Ben Hur. It’s a tricky tone to balance, and The Book of Clarence doesn’t always succeed, weakening an otherwise enjoyable and entertaining film.