The Book of Clarence

"How far would you go to prove you're not a nobody?"

2024 2h 9m EN

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 146

AdventureComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Streetwise but down-on-his-luck, Clarence is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.

“How far would you go to prove you're not a nobody?”

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Cast

LaKeith Stanfield
Clarence/Thomas
Omar Sy
Barabbas
RJ Cyler
Elijah
David Oyelowo
John the Baptist
Alfre Woodard
Mother Mary
Teyana Taylor
Mary Magdalene
Caleb McLaughlin
Zeke
James McAvoy
Pontius Pilate

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jeymes Samuel
Writers: Dwayne Turner, Jeymes Samuel
Languages: English, Spanish
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 16% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CAST

Did you know

220+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jeymes Samuel, shot by Rob Hardy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jeymes Samuel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tom Eagles shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

LaKeith Stanfield and Omar Sy and RJ Cyler carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jeymes Samuel directs. Rob Hardy behind the camera. Jeymes Samuel scores. Tom Eagles cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 16% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 2 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Spanish.
4220+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
5Directed by Jeymes Samuel, shot by Rob Hardy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Jeymes Samuel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Tom Eagles shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8LaKeith Stanfield and Omar Sy and RJ Cyler carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "How far would you go to prove you're not a nobody?".
10IMDB entry: tt22866358 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Rob Hardy
Original score: Jeymes Samuel
Editing: Tom Eagles
Production design: Peter Walpole
Costume design: Antoinette Messam
Makeup / hair: Siân Richards
VFX supervisor: Adam Azmy
Sound: Alyn Sclosa
Stunt coordinator: Gabriele Ragusa
Runtime: 129 min · 2h 9m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $40,000,000
Box office: $6,205,230
Return: 16% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Book of Clarence (2024)

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Jeymes Samuel

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2023-10-13
★ 7/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/the-book-of-clarence-bfi-london-film-festival-review-hilarious-thought-provoking-biblical-satire/ "The Book of Clarence certifies Jeymes Samuel as a do-it-all in filmmaking. Whether through his stylized direction, thought-provoking satirical screenplay, or bold soundtrack, the filmmaker once again delivers a highly original, genuinely hilarious blend of genres and tones, and a captivating spiritual exploration of the protagonist. Fortunate as well to have an absolutely superb cast with LaKeith Stanfield commanding the troops, delivering an impressively all-round performance. It lacks better tonal balance and more unpredictability, the latter being destroyed by an unnecessary opening sequence. Glad to know it will be released on the big screen, which is where I definitely recommend everyone to go and experience this piece of guaranteed entertainment." Rating: B+
BornKnight2024-02-20
★ 6/10
If you watched and know the style of Jeymes Samuel as writer and director you know what to expect (The Harder they Fall, They Die by Down). It tells the story of a man that is a con artist that aims to be a new Messiah, in the age of Jesus (and alongside him - 3 days behind), but not a classical Jesus or a new correct etiology one, but one in a black Jerusalem. It have some interesting messages more to end, shows Romans as the whites, and do not mention proper Jews - it also doesn't choose to what it aims as a movie, comedy or drama putting some comic sequences and references of Marijuana (that was used already in that time, a certain thing, accidental or not). LaKeith Stanfield is the star of the movie and does well his role and multiplicity of his character. But this isn't enough to make this a good movie. To me a score of 6.0 out of 10.0 / B-, almost C+.
CinemaSerf2024-04-20
★ 6/10
"Clarence" (LaKeith Stanfield) and brother "Elijah" (RJ Cyler) come off worst in a chariot race with Mary Magdalene (Teyana Taylor) and that lets us know that he is now in hock to the nasty "Jedediah the Terrible" (Eric Kofi Abrefa) for a great deal of money. It quite literally is his money or his life. He has a relationship, of sorts, with "Varinia" who might be able to intercede with her menacing brother on his behalf, but meantime "Clarence" hits on an idea of his own. He is aware of the buzz in the community around the impending arrival of the Messiah, indeed his twin brother "Thomas" is an apostle (with a silent t). How hard can it be to fake some tricks to convince the gullible population that he can cure the sick or raise the dead? Up until now, this all has a rather "Monty Python" meets "Ben Hur" feel to it. It's amiable and well enough paced. Sadly, though, slightly more sincere and half-baked religious elements begin to kick in to the characters a little too earnestly, and the comedic elements are increasingly supplanted by a rather bitty narrative that sees the hitherto quite entertaining "Clarence" begin to take himself just a little too seriously and the entire enterprise stalls. Omar Sy delivers well as Barabbas - though I think maybe he ought to have been called Achilles; Benedict Cumberbatch looks more like Robert Powell than he does and the best scene by far comes from Alfre Woodard's lively interpretation of the Virgin Mary. It has it's moments, but is a bit of a mess of a film that starts off engagingly but is far too long and just sort of peters out.