Amazing Grace?

So I think the movie needs to be called "Somewhat-Good Grace" because the movie left me with a bland taste in my mouth. I have to admit I didn't really follow the characters very well, my bad. I guess it was mainly because I thought two separate characters were the same guy... I mean Daddy Warbucks and Dumbledore look the same right? Well it took me until the last scene to realize they were two totally different men. And because of this the movie was even more bland.

Well, despite (or in spite) of my lack of character understanding I really think the director and writers of this film had a much bigger story to work with and decided upon the one which would sell best to the mainstream, white Christian viewers. Boring, boring, boring. The historical, period piece was so typical and wasn't even filmed that wonderfully. I was really frustrated during the first few minutes of the film because I thought people were walking in front of the projector. Low and behold it wasn't the theater's fault, but the directors. He had servants and messengers walking in front of the camera. Perhaps this was to subconsciously reinforce the notion of aristocracy and a class based society, but I don't know.

When I picture this movie in my mind I see something more along the lines of The Red Violin, Crash, or Amores Los Peros. It could have been as good as all of those. Something with multiple story lines all happening at once, culminating in the words of the song being expressed. Think of how moving it would be to watch the composer begin to write the words, watch the politician fight the words, watch a slave live the words, and maybe throw in another example of the words being passed on to another. This would be so much more amazing than what we were given.

Alas, the acting was ok. Nothing worthy of great kudos, and yes there were some moving brief moments in the story, but all in all I felt the movie was bland, typical, and while the story was good, it didn't flex it's cinematic muscles enough to be a work of art.

Plain Rice Cakes for Grace. What a shame.