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The Book of Clarence may be set in a familiar time and space however, that is how close the movie gets to real life. Besides this, all aspects of the movie are a work of fiction. However, given how close the events surrounding the character's arc are to events during the Biblical times, one would be convinced that everything in the movie is real. And that is exactly what the makers of the movie opted for.
The Book of Clarence tells the untold story of a fake Messiah who took on the role of serving his own selfish interests. However, while trying to pass off as a messiah, he goes through a journey of self-discovery which establishes him as one of the unsung heroes of the time.
Disclaimer: The following article comprises spoilers. Please read at your discretion.
How true are the events of The Book of Clarence?
The Book of Clarence is a fictional comedy-drama written and directed by Jeymes Samuel. The movie is produced by Jay-Z, Jeymes Samuel, James Lassiter, and Tendo Nagenda. It stars LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, Anna Diop, and David Oyelowo in titular roles.
The movie premiered at the 67th BFI London Film Festival on October 11, 2023. Several months later on January 12, 2024, the movie was theatrically released in the United States by TriStar Pictures.
The movie chronicles the life of Clarence, a fictional character during Biblical times. He always seems to live on the edge owing to his notorious ways. The story is set in Jerusalem AD 33 and corresponds closely to the emergence of Jesus Christ, the ultimate savior of Humanity.
The movie makes use of this historical aspect and gives it a fictional spin by introducing a character that almost seems real, but, is not.
The Book of Clarence tries to make a political statement by casting Nicholas Pinnock as Jesus
The Book of Clarence has an all-black cast besides James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor who are white.
Although The Book of Clarence is fictionalized in most parts, it tries to remain true to its time by including real-life aspects from that period. This is why some found it peculiar that Nicholas Pinnock played the character of Jesus in the movie. Many thought that the movie was trying to play around the "Jesus was black" narrative by casting a black actor in Jesus's role.
The movie also tries to tactfully clarify how Jesus came to appear as we now know him, and it was all because of a misconception. During Jesus' emergence as the Messiah, multiple others were impersonating him for their gains. One such character was Benjamin, wonderfully brought to life by Benedict Cumberbatch.
When the locals found out his truth, they decided to crucify him in the same manner Jesus was crucified. It is then that a painter painted the scene of the crucifixion which exactly resembles the scene from what we now know as a scene from Jesus's crucifixion.
The Book of Clarence was released in the United States on January 12, 2024. It is currently available on Amazon Prime Video in the US but you would have to rent or buy it to watch it.
