Award-winning Writer/Director Mona Fastvold, creates the profile of a woman we knew very little about in an unusual historical musical film about the Shakers religious sect that is, at times, difficult to watch. Amanda Seyfried uses her talents as a serious actress, singer and dancer to portray a strong woman from New England in the 1700’s whose mission was to build the utopia of a utilitarian religious community where women were equal to men. The film includes large, lively, joyous dance numbers, but also graphic scenes of miscarriages, nudity, sexual assaults, and torture that are very disturbing. Interesting since Ann Lee preached celibacy.
Seyfried is seriously on a roll and commits to every role she plays, as you can see in last year’s The Seven Veils and in her latest thriller, The Housemaid. Thomasin McKenzie, Tim Blake Nelson, and Christopher Abbott also star as Shakers in this story of how the Christian sect came to be. Lewis Pullman as Ann’s brother, William, has his own cross to bear. Lewis expresses well his characterization, making you feel sorry for his having to take a brutal beating following his sister’s rules. Ann’s husband, Abraham (Christopher Abbott) is forced to forego the expression of love through the physical pleasures of marriage dictated by his own wife’s dictum of celibacy which he had to support.
Extremely talented Norwegian filmmaker, Mona Fastvold already has some big films on her resume. They include a Childhood of a Leader, Vox Lux (starring Natalie Portman), and last year’s Oscar winner, The Brutalist, co-written and directed by her real-life partner, Brady Corbet.
Fasvold took on a monumental task to create, or try to re-create the original Shakers colony from Niskayuna, New York from paintings, writings, and artifacts. Production designer Sam Bader actually built a compound of church and farm buildings in Budapest to represent the community. Bader and Costume Designer Malgorzata Karpiul put a lot of detail into their work. As did the 200 dancing congregants whose very physical, faith. Massachusetts Cinematographer William Rexer, had plenty to work with.
Choreographer, Celia Rowlson-Hall had her work cut out for her and does an amazing job coordinating the dancers who add physicality and so much passion to the original songs & score by Academy Award winner Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist). The film features more than a dozen original Shaker hymns with “rapturous” choreography with Amanda Seyfried in the lead, and after awhile you wonder how they could beat their chests so fervently and not drop to the floor sooner.
Mona Fastvold directs Seyfried and Pullman to difficult but dedicated performances in an historical film about an egalitarian sect, largely extinct, we knew little about. The musical production is impressive, but scenes of violence may make you turn away.
Searchlight Pictures 2 hours 17 minutes R
