Ann Lee, the founding leader of the Shaker Movement, was proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers. Depicts her establishment of a utopian society and the Shakers’ worship through song and dance, based on real events.
Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried) is drawn to the Shaker movement in England. She is a devout believer in their ideology and quickly rises in the ranks of the religion. When she is anointed as “Mother Ann,” she and a few select members decide to journey to America to spread their faith.
This movie will undoubtedly be quite strange to some viewers, but it’s a film that has stuck with me since I saw it. It’s a biopic, a historical drama, and a musical all in one. It is most definitely unique.
I honestly did not know a lot about the Shaker movement. Most of this information was new to me, but I found it to be fascinating. Due in large part to the filmmaking. The production design, costuming, and dialogue were all period-accurate. It truly felt like you were watching what life was like in the 1700s.
Mona Fastvold is the director and co-writer of this film. Her husband, Brady Corbert, also co-wrote this film. In case you didn’t know, Brady Corbert directed “The Brutalist” last year, with Fastvold serving as co-writer on it as well. This duo once again proves to be experts in their craft.
It’s in the name, but the Shaker movement involves a lot of shaking. When they pray, they must move. They beat their chests, raise their arms and voices, and dance. The way these movements are captured in this film is quite intense. But as a viewer, you understand how they believe movement is the way to cleanse their sins. Despite the intensity of the filmmaking in these sequences, the dance, rhythm, and songs were also quite compelling.
Amanda Seyfried is a powerhouse here. She probably won’t even get nominated, but she would be my Oscar pick for Best Actress. Ann Lee goes through quite a lot in this film. We see her grow up essentially, and the film is divided up that way, too. She starts as “girl,” then to “woman,” and finally “mother.” Seyfried has to be quite vulnerable, physical, and commanding. Ann Lee was persecuted, especially in America. Despite the danger, she never wavered in her beliefs. Her faith was steadfast.
As a girl, we get to see her dynamic with her family. She is especially close to her brother, William (later played by Lewis Pullman). She has always had visions, which she believes are gifted to her from God. And she witnesses her parents having sex. Once she calls them out on it, she is punished by her father. As a woman, she marries Abraham (Christopher Abbott). Abraham likes to be rough in bed. We see her go through the traumatic experiences of giving birth four different times, only for each child to die a short time later. Lastly, as Mother, we see Ann as the leader of this religion, with a stark belief in chastity. She chooses to go to America, despite the expenses and perils to get there, to cultivate and grow her community.
The Shaker movement essentially died out after Ann Lee’s death. But it was quite a progressive religion in the 1770s. The Shakers believed that because Jesus first came as a man, he would come as a woman in the second coming, since man and woman were created in God’s image. They were big on adoption, since chastity was a firm belief of theirs, and they were pacifists.
Again, I thought that “The Testament of Ann Lee” was utterly fascinating. Seyfried was magnificent as the titular character. Not to mention how Fastvold directed this film with empathy and expertise. The musical aspect of this film may turn some people off, but it is essential to understanding the Shaker movement. I really enjoyed learning about its history in this film.
In Theaters Friday, January 23rd
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