LaKeith Stanfield’s new movie gets strong Rotten Tomatoes score after first reviews
The Book of Clarence, starring LaKeith Stanfield, has landed a strong Rotten Tomatoes score as the first reviews have arrived.
Directed by Jeymes Samuel, the Biblical epic stars Stanfield as a struggling Jersusalemite named Clarence, who embarks on a misguided attempt to use the rise of the Messiah for his own personal gain.
The film boasts a star-studded cast with actors including The Gray Man's Alfre Woodard, Marvel's Benedict Cumberbatch, X-Men's James McAvoy, House of the Dragon's Tom Glynn-Carney, Stranger Things' Caleb McLaughlin, David Oyelowo and Michael Ward.
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The first reviews have now made their way to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with its critics' score currently sitting at an impressive 92% from 12 reviews.
Here's what some of the critics have been saying:
Variety
"The Book of Clarence is at its most lively and enjoyable when Clarence — played by Stanfield with an easy, raffish charm that lightens the film’s more contrived subversions — is bluffing his way to divine status, and the denizens of Jerusalem resemble the rogues of Damon Runyon’s New York, sackcloth robes notwithstanding.
"Samuel is evidently enamoured of this ahistorical world he’s built, making ample time for leisurely, incidental comic explorations within it."
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The Guardian
"Clarence is played by the always likable and seductive LaKeith Stanfield, who is effortlessly laidback with an easy and charming address to the camera; even on the cross he is pretty chill.
"Stanfield is a performer whom you can’t help warming to, although here, as sometimes in the past, I found myself wanting him to bring something extra in the third act, some new level of energy or anger".
Indie Wire
"Giving the final days of Christ a contemporary, allegorical spin, The Book of Clarence is more concerned with entertainment value than delivering a sermon. The results are tonally erratic, but absolutely interesting, at the very least."
Collider
"Jeymes Samuel is a master of all trades who can craft character-driven arcs with fun action-packed sequences all against a beautiful score. No actor misses a beat and it confirms LaKeith Stanfield remains not just a brilliant actor but a true movie star."
The Book of Clarence will be released in cinemas on January 19 2024.
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