On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 114/214 |
Max Braden |
A well done period drama, interesting for the politics, but for that reason is more cerebral than active. |
Amazing Grace is a historical epic from director Michael Apted (The World Is Not Enough, Coal Miner's Daughter) and screenwriter Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things). Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four) stars as William Wilberforce, a member of the 18th century British Parliament and a man who tried to work within the politics of his nation to end slave trading. He is inspired to such acts by John Newton (Albert Finney) a former slave trader who has turned to preach against the practice - and the author of the hymn Amazing Grace.
Others who assist and encourage Wilberforce in his fight are Pitt the Younger (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai), the woman who would eventually become his wife. Also making his motion picture debut is Youssou N'Dour, a name that might just ring a bell for fans of Peter Gabriel. N'Dour is one of the most celebrated musicians in the history of Africa and came to the attention of America and Europe when he did backing vocals on Gabriel's In Your Eyes and Shaking the Tree.
Amazing Grace is a Walden Media production and will have the people at Samuel Goldwyn behind its marketing push. Don't be surprised if this one is able to break out a bit as it could be targeted to religious groups and churches. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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