Selma

Selma is about yesterday today. One can't help see this movie without thinking of certain modern mass demonstrations today. I know as I witnessed one such mass demonstration during my latest excursion to San Francisco.

Selma opens with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) accepting his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. Back home, he tries to convince President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to pass pivotal legislation guaranteeing the black vote. But Johnson wants to put it off until whenever. So King and his associates set their sights on Selma. From there, they and their supporters will march to Montgomery to demand equality.

The mission isn't easy. Racist cops and citizens will do anything to uphold their values. King's life unravels as spies reveal his secrets. Supporters start to wonder if the cause is worth it. The movement needs a leader and King is that leader. But King needs to persuade President Johnson to act if it's to succeed.

Its creative team is a great one. The names to remember the most are writer Paul Webb, director Ava DuVernay, cinematographer Bradford Young and editor Spencer Averick. Their movie's tone lets the audience understand the cruelty of injustice for themselves. Its depiction of police brutality is sure to provoke moral outrage in any viewer. A certain act in the opening is far too easy to see coming and its depiction is disturbing. The film surely succeeds in depicting a tough time in American history.

Its ensemble is made of great actors. You'll think of them as characters and not as actors on screen. Oywelo, as King, perfectly humanizes the legendary man. Kudos to the makeup team for making Oyewelo into nothing short of a dead-ringer to King. Wilkinson, as Johnson, antagonizes King, but is more exhausted by other matters than stubborn. Carmen Ejogo, as Coretta Scott King, has a test of faith that earns the audience's empathy.

Selma is subdued for an "Oscar movie." And that's a good thing. Its manner of story-telling gets its message across in its 127 minute run-time. That by itself is praise worthy.