The Book Of Clarence is a sharp new take on the biblical epic thanks to a memorable ensemble with countless scene-stealers is topped by a captivating LaKeith Stanfield.
Upon spicing up the recipe of the classic Western, it was evident Jeymes Samuel was set to carve a path as one of boldest and most exciting emerging voices in filmmaking today. Taking upon this self-imposed task to reinvigorate genres of a bygone era and cooking up a blend of tonal, archetypal, and structural ingredients that combined bring new flavors to what was once familiar, but now feels forged in an undeniable fire burning with a passion of a new generation.
Debuting with a ruthless, grimy but nevertheless politically charged look at the frontier days, his follow up The Book of Clarence is the kind of sophomore feature in which his talents, and more so specifically his musicality, result a sharply satirical and action-packed biblical epic.
Clearly a student of the game, Samuel doesn’t simply cater to pastiche one of Hollywood’s birthing genres, but he rather chooses to celebrate the classics his story embodies while drawing unseen focus in this context to a part underdog, part redemption story, that begins with a refined homage to the legendary chariot chase in “Ben-Hur”.
All the way back in Jerusalem; streetwise but down-on-his-luck, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) struggles to find a better life for his family, swindling his way around town unafraid to displease the gangsters he is indebted to and carrying within the kind of angst that blinds him to the beggars on the street, whose robes he takes for himself when caught in a bad moment.
His best friend Elijah (RJ Cyler) knows Clarence to be kind and ambitious, following him through thick and thin, his unwavering loyalty however is caught off guard when Clarence, captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah (Nicholas Pinnock) and His apostles; among them his twin brother Peter.
Cynical towards their way of living, Clarence risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, aiming to deceive the people into believing himself to be a herald of God, a strategy that reveals more about his true self than Clarence even realises and ultimately forces him to discover the redemptive power of belief may be the only way out of his downtrodden life.
Samuel’s direction (and score composition) make for a riveting watch thanks to his musical sensibilities offering an undeniably natural flow to the film. Cementing his mark in the biblical epic genre with an unexpected but welcoming dance sequence to be remembered. His style is most perceptible in the unanticipated moments of joy and comedy, in which he injects an infectious energy to his characters and the story structure.
Framing it as a book with three chapters where the acts start and finish, Samuel swerves our anticipation in regards to how we should expect such a story to play out; which makes his writing for comedy hit all the more riotous notes: with a mix of contemporary jargon, witty back & forth bounces between Clarence and the pompous Apostles, who look down on him for being one of no faith, or even between the malicious Romans, who are as imposing as they are ridiculous in a manner reminiscent of Jojo Rabbit, and contextually fit the role of the oppressive force for Clarence and his people, constantly grounding the heightened hijinks of the disenfranchised protagonists in an imperfect yet more than effect tonal clash ever-present in the film.
Pontius Pilate (James McAvoy) play a fabulous foil to Clarence, particularly as he comes into the story as someone who likes Clarence as the fraudster he is, forcing our protagonist to question his own values and coming to terms with not being the best person nor have the best intentions.
Besides his adversaries, Clarence finds himself surrounded by the lively personalities of an all-around stellar cast bringing to life archetypes never expected in this setting, who without fail offer visual gags and punchlines to die for as we flip through the chapters of Clarence’s book. LaKeith Stanfield carries such natural confidence with a comedic timing as perfected as his emotional nuance: Clarence has been wronged by the world, he is undermined by the Romans and underestimated by his kin, in wanting to prove himself worthy of joining Jesus and his Apostles, he sets out to complete a series of tasks, framing the Messiah followers as an almost mafia-like collection of bullies.
These challenges send Clarence down a path which consequently reveal who he is to the world, as he fully understands the Apostles are purely making a mockery of him. As he completes each task, they begin to stubbornly see the worth in Clarence, which even catches the eyes of Jesus himself, and allows Clarence to meet a collection of welcomed additions to his entourage; the biggest stand out being Omar Sy with his outrageously in-your-face straight man character work who reacts to Clarence’s most outlandish ideas & acts in the exact way we all are, so many memorable lines and reactions from this rescued slaved gladiator to-be, who comes to see Clarence the same way Elijah does.
Benedict Cumberbatch, in his own right, offers an unexpectedly brilliant turn in the type of role where less certainly proves to be more, earning a more than worthy moment of applause from the audience.
Samuel’s action set-pieces are much grander too this time around: clearly working with a bigger budget and crew, his tale lives up to the term “epic” in every war. Clearly his injections of various sub-genres into the biblical context pay off, the enthused performances and world building creating for scenarios that are as ridiculous as they are poignant, allowing his focus to not only be relatable but also universally meaningful.
It is perhaps his balancing of tone that struggles the most, feeling mostly jarring in how Samuel abruptly interrupts the excitement or somberness of specific moments that needed more time to linger. While his energy is more than welcomed, perhaps he is playing with too many toys in a sandbox that doesn’t quite allow space for them all to have equal levels of prominence. This transparency mostly shows in how little some characters have to do, Clarence’s love interest and her mafioso brother, Clarence’s mother who doesn’t even get a moment with her two sons, Elijah ends up being just there standing next to his best friend but almost having no narrative or thematic impact, even Jesus feels like he comes when goes when Samuel finds himself pinned against a proverbial wall of his own writing.
No storyline, relationship or single character is obsolete by the end, but many of these story threads do fade into being forgettable, as if at some point they become blank pages in a finished book.
Jeymes Samuel’s sophomore turn is, much like his debut, a flawed but amusingly good time, even if he pinballs his focus a little too much between genres sometimes, this inconsistency between deciding to be an epic, a satire, a stoner comedy or even a superhero movie may at first feel unsure, but undeniably become an integral part of its charm.
Proving THE BOOK OF CLARENCE to be a sharp new take on the biblical epic where Jeymes Samuel’s intellect as a storyteller subverts what once was into a stylish, hysterical yet somber blaxploitation tale thanks to a memorable ensemble with countless scene-stealers is topped by a captivating LaKeith Stanfield.
FINAL GRADE: B
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About The Book of Clarence
From visionary filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Biblical-era epic. Streetwise but down-on-his-luck, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.
The film features new music by Jeymes Samuel, JAY-Z, and more.
The Book of Clarence comes exclusively to theaters January 12, 2024.
