Review of Selma (2014) by Xander K — 24 May 2015
A fine historical drama about the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King. Oyelowo is very good in the role, and I liked that the movie didn't elevate any of the players into something greater, no one is put on a pedestal.
DuVernay gave a very nuanced look at King, she managed to make him the inspiring figure he was, without making him into flawless being. She pointed out he was also a man who made mistakes, wasn't perfect.
..and that made him even more inspiring. I read something a while back before I saw the movie, that some didn't like the portrayal of LBJ, because he has long been noted for being a Civil Right Champion and this made him something of a roadblock in the movie.
..but I didn't feel that was the case. He was a complex guy, and the film shows him both sympathetic to the cause but also wanting to be in control and showed he was a man with many priorities. Like King the film is more nuanced than playing the characters as one dimensional or as something truly great and untouchable by flaws.
This review of Selma (2014) was written by Xander K on 24 May 2015.
Selma has generally received very positive reviews.
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