To quote the late Danniebelle Hall’s “Ordinary People,” God uses ordinary people…people just like me and you – a sentiment that the biblical epic genre tends to forget. Whether it’s faithful to the scripture like The Ten Commandments, a controversial take like The Passion of the Christ, or “What in the heck did I just watch?” like Noah, biblical epics have seldom focused on the entity that allowed God’s word to spread. It’s as if you didn’t matter unless you were Jesus, one of His 12 apostles, or spoke directly to God. Frankly, this has turned the once-cornerstone of cinema into a lifeless loop of fairy tales.
Hoping to break that monotony and give the everyday person in biblical times some shine like Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Wholly Moses! earlier, writer-director Jeymes Samuel brings The Book of Clarence. Starring LaKeith Stanfield as the titular character, The Book of Clarence tells the story of a hapless, penniless man in A.D. 33 Jerusalem who hatches a plot to make money by convincing others that he is the Messiah.
Does Samuel’s take on the biblical epic breathe new life into the genre? It won’t win the souls of those who don’t believe in Christ, but it’s an entertaining reminder of how God works.
We’ve seen Stanfield as a comedic lead in the underrated Sorry to Bother You. If you liked him in that, you’ll LOVE him in Clarence. His comedic timing is as sharp as ever, especially in tandem with the equally impressive and funny R.J. Cyler and Omar Sy. Yet, Stanfield’s best work shows up when he kicks the Clarence character’s extra dimensions into gear.
His gift of smoothly exhibiting a character’s humanity at their most vulnerable states scintillates Clarence’s more sobering scenes. The gravity of his scenes with Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Alfre Woodard, and a surprise performer produce some of Clarence’s most affecting moments.
Outside Stanfield, Cyler, and Sy, Clarence’s extended cameos offer equal excellence in spurts. David Oyelowo and an unrecognizable Benedict Cumberbatch are fantastic flexing their comedic chops in limited screen time.
Behind the camera, Samuel takes what could be considered a quantum leap in his sophomore effort. Clarence starkly contrasts his previous film, the action-packed western The Harder They Fall, so there was some apprehension since this one is character-driven. However, Samuel’s style of filmmaking calmed that from the opening scene, which featured a drag race reminiscent of The Fast and the Furious series.
Samuel’s script prominently features his knack for modernizing a period piece without compromising its historical aspects. The characters speak and carry themselves as people living in contemporary society (i.e., Clarence selling and smoking weed and not speaking in biblical dialect) while existing in A.D. 33.
In Clarence, he uses that skill to write humor and commentary relevant to the issues of biblical times and today, such as class, racism, and dysfunction in the family. It makes the film feel less like an epic fable and closer to a relatable story that applies to real life.
Clarence does a lot of good, but it isn’t without sin. The only flaw is its unnecessary retreat to elements of the typical biblical epic. Clarence’s goal is to show how miracles/”magic tricks” aren’t the only way God works through people. Instead of staying along that path, Clarence often reverts to pushing the “magical” part of Jesus’s story, contradicting the movie's very point. That misguided focus doesn’t ruin anything but throws off Clarence’s rhythm late.
How well The Book of Clarence works depends on your belief in God. If you don’t believe in His existence, there isn’t anything here for you. If you’re a believer, Clarence is a humorous, timely reflection of how God’s love isn’t limited to select people – it’s for everyone.