The Testament of Ann Lee is an electric tale led by Amanda Seyfried as the titular character. It proves period dramas can be climatic, enduring, and musically-rich without losing the emotional resonance.
★★★★☆
The Testament of Ann Lee is a musical journey that tells the untold story of Ann Lee, sometimes referred to as Mother Ann, as she leads the Shaker movement from Manchester to the open, rural lands of the Americas in the hopes of spreading their beliefs. Known for their unique movement-led worship style, the Shakers (an offshoot of the Quakers) are brought to life in this cinematic story.
The composer Daniel Blumberg (and long-time collaborator of director Mona Fastvold) couples the existing 18th century lyrics with Amanda Seyfried’s angelic tones, and adds a raw and frantic energy through the fast-paced beats. The soundtrack conjures an immersive, cinematic atmosphere and though much of the film is told through music, transitioning Ann into new stages of her life, this isn’t a traditional musical. There are emotionally-charged vocal sequences accompanied with gestures and dancing alongside an often fast-beating rhythm. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. Here, the musicality is interwoven into the character’s belief system, exploring Ann Lee’s grief, faith, and growth as an individual.
Amanda Seyfried is electric, emulating a woman from young adulthood to her late 40s over the course of the film, and doing so effortlessly—you can hardly guess she isn’t going through adulthood in real time. Seyfried brings Ann Lee’s adult experiences to life; from childbirth, ailments, and coming into her seniority within the Shaker movement. Seyfried’s Ann is swallowed into the world of the Shakers, finding herself standing against impossible hardship in her family life, and developing into this influential and optimistic older woman. Throughout the film, Ann ages and it looks realistic, a testament to the makeup team and aiding Seyfried’s assured performance.
The supporting cast are full of delight and are all deeply involved in bringing Ann Lee’s story to life on the big screen. Lewis Pullman takes on the role of Ann Lee’s devoted brother, William Lee. He does so with charm and deference, supporting the lead’s mission. Another standout is Thomasin McKenzie as Mary, the narrator and loyal companion of Ann Lee. The extra insight offered by McKenzie’s Mary is purposeful, ensuring you aren’t swept up in a less than satisfying side-story to explain Ann’s journey from point A to B. Most importantly however, this ensemble manages to showcase companionship and family, a necessary respite through any harsher moments in the story. Fastvold tells Ann’s story with hope and belief at the forefront of the narrative, and it’s no better shown than in the ensemble’s support.
Seyfried, the direction, and the sound elements are all on fire in this film. With montage sequences whilst the Shakers board a boat from Manchester to the Americas, you find the ensemble set against changing conditions as they continue their rhythmic movements and song. It’s electric, building your anticipation. This raises the energy when the film could fall flat in these transitional moments. Organic movement, expertly designed by the choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall, works with every actor’s breath and vocals. Surprisingly, it doesn’t have recollections of a flash mob or a rehearsed sequence, rather reminding you of repetitive worship and true belief. Fastvold grasps the intimacy of telling one person’s story, whilst remaining faithful to the Shaker’s messaging and worship system, and it’s best shown in the favouring of these fast-moving directorial sequences that capture the story’s energy.
The one and only pitfall are the accents. Though a modern-day Manchester accent is a far cry from an 18th century one, there is an underlying alienness to the ones brought to the big screen. Amanda Seyfried manages to pull hers off (with it occasionally blending away in her singing moments) but the same can’t be said for all her castmates, whose American twang shines through in countless words. It may be a seemingly small challenge against impressive performances, but it also reminds you exactly where these performers reside—and it’s definitely not the North of England. Considering Mona Fastvold’s previous scandal with AI-tweaked Hungarian accents in her previous Award-winner The Brutalist, you’d assume sourcing talent with a firmer handle on the challenges that come with embodying a Northern accent may have been further up the list of requirements. Nevertheless, The Testament of Ann Lee has enough going for it that you soon adapt to the slightly skewed accents in favour of taking in the cinematic experience of Ann Lee on screen.
The Verdict
Fastvold takes this story seriously and documents religious persecution, the hardship of motherhood, and the unfailing bonds of family within this Manchester and American setting. Seyfried assists, steering the ship with an ability to delve into these different evolutionary points in Ann’s life expertly; carrying the weight of telling Ann’s incredible story with energy, emotiveness, and musicality.
Hopefully with this release, Mother Ann Lee will remain firmly in the public consciousness for years to come, just as the Shakers have in history, design, and movement.
Words by Annabel Smith
The Testament of Ann Lee released in UK cinemas on 27th February.
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.