Mona Fastvold’s Testament of Ann Lee is an intriguing, near-mythic fable about the woman who shepherded the Shaker movement from England to America. It was a premise that had me wonder what exactly a historical musical by the husband-and-wife duo behind The Brutalist would look like. Thematically heavy and very formal in its execution, Testament of Ann Lee had me admiring, more than loving, what I saw.
The film is quite beautiful. Fastvold stages the Shaker community on a big canvas, making a story about a tiny religious sect feel unexpectedly epic. At the center is Amanda Seyfried, delivering one of the finest performances of her career. The role feels precisely tuned to her strengths – her expressive face, controlled vocals, and what I can only describe as having “the look,” for a film like this. The irony isn’t lost on me that she vied to play Glinda in Wicked; this, frankly, feels much more in her acting lane, tonally.
As for the musical component, Testament of Ann Lee wisely avoids Broadway-style theatrics. Instead, it’s built on religious hymns and a continuous, pulsing score. Given how integral music was to The Brutalist, I should’ve anticipated how central it would be here. The score motifs that are woven throughout bolster a sense of urgency the film might not otherwise have. It’s a slow film, without a doubt, but not a sleepy one.
Yet for all its strengths, the movie carries the unmistakable blemish of feeling architected to win awards. That is to say it does not earn a 130 minute runtime. Everything leading up to the Shakers’ arrival in America feels pretty confident and well paced, but once the story relocates, the film feels stretched too long. I think filmmaker restrain is a powerful attribute; unfortunately it seems the Academy Awards cannot get away from overlong films and filmmakers who are self-indulgent. A leaner, more abbreviated telling would have done wonders for a film like this and countless others.
Still, Testament of Ann Lee is a solid watch that continues the Corbet–Fastvold fascination with American identity. Their proven cinematic eye applied to these deeply interesting stories seem to be a solid combination, but a touch greater focus would make them an absolute tour-de-force.
