‘The Book of Clarence’ Blu-ray Review
The biblical epic probably has less pull on audiences nowadays than it did in its heyday. A genre that explores the virtues of humanity through the lens of the bible, it just feels like a resource that has been tapped out and faded into irrelevance. However, a differing perspective on the story of Jesus Christ is still rife with the potential to excavate some new meaning out of a tale often told with white characters occupying every major role. This is the initial hook of Jeymes Samuel’s sophomore feature, The Book of Clarence - a religious epic that confronts the mythmaking process through a specifically Black perspective, much like he did prior with a stylish and invigorating spin on the Western genre with The Harder They Fall. However, Samuel’s film takes on many tropes from the genre and tries to breathe new life into them without recentering its focus when it veers off its thematic track. The result is a gorgeous-looking and ambitious epic held back by a meandering narrative and a tonal messiness that its immaculate cast and exciting energy cannot overcome.
As the tales of Jesus Christ’s abilities spread throughout Jerusalem, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is overcome with debt and can’t seem to get his life back on track. He owes money to Jebediah (Eric Kofi-Abrefa), loves Jebediah’s sister, Varinia (Anna Diop), and can’t stop getting into trouble with his best friend, Elijah (RJ Cyler). Seeing how people throw money at Jesus and his Twelve Apostles - one of which is Clarence’s twin brother, Thomas (also played by Stanfield) - Clarence devises a plan to take advantage of the blind faith Jesus receives and declare himself a messiah. With a plot like that, it’s somewhat unsurprising that Samuel’s screenplay feels undercooked in many regards and can’t quite grasp what kind of film it wants to be. In many ways, it’s a bit of a slacker comedy with Clarence forced to reckon with a life of disappointment to those around him and try to make something out of his life with the hand he’s been dealt. Yet, it stretches itself thin with an underdeveloped romance, the political backdrop of 33 AD Jerusalem, and the surface-level confrontation of belief as a form of fulfillment. By the time it wraps its threads up, the tone has changed almost completely, and The Book of Clarence feels weighed down by its inherent dramatic and thematic heft.
For many reasons, it begins to feel like The Book of Clarence doesn’t quite know how to balance the comedic elements of its premise with the somber intensity of Jesus’s story. Unfortunately, Samuel’s attempts at humor are often only visible through the performances. Stanfield’s dual performance allows him to reassert his range as an actor, but he’s at his most fun making sarcastic remarks alongside Cyler’s Elijah. The two have excellent chemistry, and once Barabbas (Omar Sy) joins the con job, the film begins to flesh out its outcast angle with endearing performances of characters forcing themselves inside the zeitgeist created by Jesus and his disciples. Sy is also one of the highlights of the film as he maintains a hulking presence in action scenes that give The Book of Clarence an epic feeling.
In fact, the action is where Samuel seems to be having the most fun. An opening chariot race, a la Ben-Hur, is an exciting introduction to Clarence and Elijah’s relationship as two deadbeats with just enough skill to seem capable of tunneling out of their predicament but who find fate to be far more oppressive on them than those who believe they are in the presence of the Messiah. The film frequently puts Clarence in life-or-death situations, allowing the action to stand out while pushing the character’s faith. Everything also feels more stripped-down in its scale while still retaining that excitement. The chariot race is through the streets and not in a colosseum, nor is the gladiator fight that sees Barabbas and Clarence face-off in a private makeshift arena. Smart, natural changes like this feel fueled by the character’s place in the world more than the desire to do a large-scale religious epic.
That being said, the film’s tonal problems also stem from the creative decisions that aided Samuel’s The Harder They Fall in distinguishing itself, but it feels less integrated into the tone here. Produced by Jay-Z, The Book of Clarence has a bevy of hip-hop tracks that feel like their only inclusion is to give sequences a different kind of energy than audiences would expect. Samuel’s score is more tactfully employed, but the soundtrack can sometimes distract more than excite. It’s not all intrusive, though, and there are often moments when it fits the scene's rhythm better than it sounds on paper, reinforcing the visionary elements of Samuel’s direction that could be seen just as palpably as his previous film. The multihyphenate artist shines brightest when taking the creative risks he does in The Book of Clarence, but its effectiveness varies too much to celebrate more than appreciate.
There’s just too much going on in The Book of Clarence, which winds up feeling meandering as Clarence navigates his newfound attention and success within an understanding of its potentially temporary nature. How long can a con last before it’s discovered? What are the repercussions of imitating Jesus Christ? What is the moral stickiness of the situation? Samuel touches on everything but narratively finds himself at a loss on how to connect the dots meaningfully. The characters that mean something to Clarence seem almost irrelevant to the story being told as it goes on, and it’s not because he loses focus on his current relationships but that they never really hold much weight in the screenplay itself. The most egregious example is Clarence’s relationship with Varinia, which wastes both the talent of Diop and gives little to nothing in terms of adding emotional heft to the script - a problem that persists in almost every regard. The Book of Clarence doesn’t have as much heart as it does style.
Jeymes Samuel remains one of the more exciting directors working today, even if The Book of Clarence doesn’t come together as effectively as his other work. There’s still an innovative and creative voice visibly present throughout the film, and even in its most aimless moments, the style remains consistently strong. Similarly, Stanfield continues to distinguish himself among his peers as a versatile and charismatic performer who can command a scene with an effortless charm. Though the film’s screenplay is the source of the film’s many problems, Samuel’s strengths elsewhere help bolster the film. It’s not enough to make it compelling, but just enough to keep the energy high throughout.
‘The Book of Clarence’ Blu-ray - Audio and Video
As mentioned, Samuel has a firm understanding of what he wants the film to feel like when watched. As a result, The Book of Clarence has an epic quality to many of its technical elements that come through beautifully on the Blu-ray. Rob Hardy’s gorgeous cinematography is accentuated by gorgeous colors that pop within the scene and a great mix of digital and practical effects to keep the action thrilling without feeling too fake. The Blu-ray video quality is immense, though the film itself was already no slouch in that regard. Its production design and costuming bring to life a stunning depiction of Jerusalem in 33 AD, with scenes that navigate the seedier elements of Samuel’s vision and convey the massive expanse of desert surrounding the city. Every frame is tremendous to witness. There’s also an immersive quality to the audio on this Blu-ray release that helps transport audiences into the setting just as effectively as the visuals. It’s an impressive technical release that, in collaboration with the film, reminds audiences why the biblical epic was a spectacle not to be missed in theaters. Sony’s Blu-ray is no slouch in retaining that immersion as a home video release.
‘The Book of Clarence’ Blu-ray - Special Features
There are a few featurettes on The Book of Clarence Blu-ray that offer some insight into the creative process of the cast and bringing to life Jerusalem at this period in time. Those looking for an extended amount of behind-the-scenes content might be a little disappointed as the featurettes tend to highlight its writer-director more than the filmmaking process. Even an entire featurette dedicated to Jeymes Samuel essentially boils down to being a puff piece, despite praise also being heaped on him throughout the other featurettes. You get the feeling that Samuel is an endearing and powerful force on set who knows his vision completely and how to depict it exactly without ruffling feathers. That infectious quality bleeds into the commentary track featuring Samuel and LaKeith Stanfield. It’s far more comprehensive than I expected after the featurettes, giving Samuel more time to hype up Stanfield and giving insight into the behind-the-scenes of each moment. You really get the sense that Samuel adores the filmmaking process, and while the rapport between him and Stanfield often boils down to fawning over one another, it’s still an insightful glimpse into why the film matters to both of them.
Overall, it’s a solid package for Blu-ray aficionados, bolstered by its inclusion of a commentary track that feels a little more nuanced than the featurettes. Your mileage may vary depending on how much you enjoy the film, but its technical merits are unassailable and are given the spotlight with this transfer. For those also looking for something exclusive to the Blu-ray, there are deleted scenes that include introductions from Samuel - giving a little bit more bang for your buck. All in all, The Book of Clarence isn’t as remarkable as it is admirable, but there’s great attention to detail with this Blu-ray release that helps give it some additional shelf life.
