The Book of Clarence is a 2023 American biblical comedy-drama film written and directed by Jeymes Samuel, and produced by Samuel, Jay-Z, James Lassiter, and Tendo Nagenda. The film stars LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, Anna Diop, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy, and Benedict Cumberbatch. It follows a struggling down-on-his-luck man named Clarence living in A.D. 33 Jerusalem who looks to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ, by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt and start a life of glory for himself.
The Book of Clarence had its world premiere at the 67th BFI London Film Festival on October 11, 2023, and was released by TriStar Pictures in the United States on January 12, 2024.
Plot[]
The story unfolds in three "Books", e.g., "Crucifixion", with old-Hollywood style title-lettering, like Cecil B. DeMille's Ten Commandments.
A struggling down-on-his-luck Black man in A.D. 33 Jerusalem, Clarence, and friend Elijah lose a chariot race with Mary Magdalene -- and money the victory would have brought --, due to difficulties like gypsies shooting darts at them, and almost running over a dirt-encrusted beggar, Benjamin.
Clarence owes money to loan shark Jedediah the Terrible, but also loves Jedediah's sister Varinia. Roman soldiers racially profile Clarence and Elijah for a theft they didn't commit.
Clarence, a marijuana smoker who steals honey wine from the Romans, smokes opium one day, around the floating-in-air bodies of other opium-smokers, and -- seeing a light over his head -- conceives the idea of being a fake messiah, capitalizing on the rise of Jesus Christ, to free himself of debt and start a life of glory. John the Baptist slaps him for being a hypocrite when he drops by to be baptized.
Clarence proposes to the Twelve Apostles (who, like Jesus, are all Black), that he become the 13th apostle. They laugh at him. Clarence's twin brother Thomas, one of the Twelve, is cynical and dismissive towards Clarence. In turn, Clarence criticizes Thomas for leaving their mother to follow Jesus.
Judas Iscariot proposes that Clarence free a group of gladiator slaves, to earn his place as an apostle. Clarence goes to the gladiators' owner and proposes he free them. The owner instead says he'll free the slaves if they beat Clarence to death; then says he'll just have the huge Barabbas the Immortal fight Clarence.
Clarence wins through trickery; Barabbas is freed, and goes with him. Barabbas is rebellious against Roman rule and antagonizes Roman soldiers. Barabbas claims to be really immortal, except if hit in the heel (like Achilles).
Clarence visits Jesus' mother Mary, and father Joseph, asking how he can perform the same "tricks" Jesus does. The parents insist that Jesus is real, not a trickster.
Clarence, Elijah, Barabbas, and Zeke travel the land, with Clarence performing "miracles" like bringing Elijah "back from the dead". They make much money. Also, Clarence, an atheist, preaches "knowledge over belief". However, Clarence decides to use the money to free the gladiators, rather than paying back Jedediah.
Mary Magdalene is being stoned to death due to accusations of sexual congress with Romans. Elijah tries to shield her. Jesus arrives, stops the stones' flight in mid-air, and notes that the stone-throwers are themselves sinners. He heals Mary's wounds. Elijah believes.
Jesus gives money to Benjamin, and the ability to multiply coins. The newly-rich Benjamin buys a "makeover": under the dirt, he is a long-haired white man who resembles conventional portrayals of Jesus. Benjamin traipses around, throwing money to people, and Romans believe he is another "messiah".
Varinia betrays Clarence by being at a party with him, with Jedediah waiting outside. Jedediah tries to collect his money, with Romans helping him. Barabbas resists, though Clarence insists he run away.
Barabbas is speared three times, but survives, killing a Roman centurion sent after him. Jedediah is impressed and makes up with Clarence, though the Romans take Clarence away, since they are supposed to arrest any messiahs.
Pontius Pilate interrogates Clarence, who confesses that he is a trickster, not a messiah. Pilate says that despite confessing to fraud, Clarence may save himself by walking across water (a nearby pool). Clarence, to his own amazement, is able to do so, following a vision in the clouds. Nevertheless, Pilate says he will crucify him.
Varinia visits Clarence in prison, and kisses him. Thomas also makes up with him. Pilate mocks Jesus' ideas of human equality, though Clarence mocks the Romans' male nude statues.
On the way to the cross, Amina, Elijah, and Barabbas watch. Cabbage, a small gypsy who despised Clarence, now helps carry his cross. Benjamin is crucified alongside Clarence, complaining that an onlooker is making a painting of him (looking like a traditional white Jesus).
Jesus tells his weeping disciples that he himself will be betrayed and crucified. Jesus comes to Clarence's tomb, forgives his prior unbelief, and raises him from the dead and heals his nail-wounds. Clarence now both "knows" and "believes", and smiles.
Cast[]
- LaKeith Stanfield as Clarence / Thomas
- Omar Sy as Barabbas
- Anna Diop as Varinia, Clarence's love-interest and Jedediah's sister
- RJ Cyler as Elijah, Clarence's best-friend
- David Oyelowo as John the Baptist
- Micheal Ward as Judas Iscariot
- Alfre Woodard as Virgin Mary
- Brian Bovell as Joseph
- Teyana Taylor as Mary Magdalene
- Caleb McLaughlin as Dirty Zeke
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Amina, Clarence's mother
- Eric Kofi-Abrefa as Jedediah the Terrible
- James McAvoy as Pontius Pilate
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Benjamin
- Chase Dillon as Cabbage
- Nicholas Pinnock as Jesus
- Babs Olusanmokun as Asher the Torturer
- Chidi Ajufo as Goliath
- Tom Glynn-Carney as Decimus
- Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Antoninus
Production[]
TBA
Filming began in November 2022 in Matera, Italy.[3]
Release[]
The Book of Clarence had its world premiere at the 67th London Film Festival on October 11, 2023, and was theatrically released on January 12, 2024.[4] It was originally set to be released on September 22, 2023, but was delayed for unspecified reasons.[5]
Reception[]
Box office[]
In the United States and Canada, The Book of Clarence was released alongside The Beekeeper and Mean Girls, and is projected to gross around $7 million in its opening weekend.[2] It made $1 million on its first day, including $285,000 from Thursday night previews.[6]
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 69% of 6.5 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 77/10. On the website, the critics' consensus reads, "The Book of Clarence makes light work of some heavy subject matter, with undeniably entertainingTemplate:Emdashalbeit unevenTemplate:Emdashresults." Using a weighted average calculator, Metacritic assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it an 67% overall positive score, with 45% saying they would definitely recommend the film.[6]
Guy Lodge of Variety wrote "Biblical cinema could use more messengers with Samuel's eccentricity and daring, alive to the limitations and biases that have hitherto made for such a stylistically uniform genre".[7]
See also[]
- Monty Python's Life of Brian, a biblical comedy film about a person being mistaken for the messiah
References[]
- ↑ [TBA The Book of Clarence (15)] (January 11, 2024).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rubin, Rebecca (2024-01-10). [TBA Box Office: Mean Girls Aims for Grool $30 Million Over Holiday Weekend].
- ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (November 22, 2022). [TBA Omar Sy, LaKeith Stanfield-Led Black Biblical Film The Book of Clarence, Directed by Jeymes Samuel, Shooting in Italy].
- ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Rubin, Rebecca (June 21, 2023). [TBA "Bad Bunny's Spider-Man Spinoff 'El Muerto' Taken Off Sony Release Calendar"] Check
|url=value (help). Variety. Retrieved June 21, 2023. Check|archive-url=value (help) - ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 22, 2023). [TBA Sony Dates Legendary's Jeymes Samuel Biblical Time Set Feature The Book Of Clarence].
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 12, 2024). [TBA ‘Mean Girls’ Are Popular At Weekend Box Office With $33M Opening – Friday Update].
- ↑ Lodge, Guy (12 October 2023). [TBA The Book of Clarence Review: LaKeith Stanfield Is an Unlikely Messiah in Jeymes Samuel's Brash Biblical Epic].
External links[]
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