December 1, 2007
From Planet Wisdom
Amazing Grace
Rated PG for thematic material involving slavery, and some mild language.
reviewed by Christopher Lyon
Excerpt: “Amazing Grace” might not have the fanboys lining up around the block like star Ioan Gruffudd’s next film, “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” But his role as the real-life 1700s slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce is far more heroic than Reed Richards could ever hope to be.
And Wilberforce didn’t need a costume to change the world.
Story
Elected to England’s parliament at just 21 years of age, Wilberforce (Gruffudd) builds a reputation for his verbal skills when taking on opponents in the House of Commons. He considers giving up politics to enter the ministry, however, when his Christian faith is reawakened in a powerful way. Several influential people change his mind.
His best friend in the House, William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch) is on the verge of becoming the youngest Prime Minister in England’s history. He urges Wilberforce to use his voice to change the world instead of “just” praising God. To convince him, he introduces William to a group of slavery abolitionists who show him the inhuman conditions under which slaves are brought from Africa.
Wilberforce is finally convinced to dedicate his life to the political mission of making the slave trade illegal in England by his old friend and mentor John Newton (Albert Finney). Newton, the writer of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” still suffers under the weight of the 20,000 souls he abused as a former slave trader. He basically commands Wilberforce to do everything he can to wipe out the slave trade.
What follows is the story of Wilberforce’s twenty-year campaign to pass a single bill to do just that. It seems a hopeless cause; most of the members of Parliament are making huge money from the slave trade. England is on the verge of losing a war to the American colonies and entering a new war with France. To threaten the economy further by ending the profitable slave trade sounds like treason. But Wilberforce’s team begins a campaign to educate the world about exactly what happens to slaves. And while they succeed (to a point) in turning public opinion, they can’t convince Parliament to change the law.
Fifteen years into the fight, Wilberforce is worn out, suffering from a crippling stomach illness, and hooked on a strength-sapping opiate for the pain. But his passion for the cause if finally renewed when he meets a young woman who shares his burden to end slavery. Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai) convinces him to take it up once more, and he convinces her to marry him. Together with his band of abolitionists, he finds new approaches to once and for all make illegal the immoral practice of trading and abusing human beings created in the image of God.
Read the rest of this great movie review, including a small cell study Q&A.
Check out the YouTube movie trailer.
lydia says:
Loved this movie!!! It is definitely something you should see!
Cindi Hoppes says:
I just won this movie on a site. I haven’t received it yet. Now, I can’t wait to watch it…..Thanks,Cindi
rebornbutterfly says:
it’s such a great movie!!