The Testament of Ann Lee (2025)

The Testament of Ann Lee is a distinct, ambitiously formal historical vision by Mona Fastvold. It has its ups and downs, but it reaches safe harbor thanks to the magnetic force and total commitment of Amanda Seyfried to the role of a figure of absolute conviction.Although the songs and production design create an often engaging audiovisual environment, the rhythmic repetition and lack of a stronger narrative bite prevent it from being the historical and musical epic it promised.It s a peculiar experience that invites reflection, because even in its moments of imbalance, it reinforces the powerful truth that one person s unwavering faith can, quite literally, shake the world. Rating: B-

Mancunian born Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried) made quite a name for herself as part of the Quaker movement that splintered into the aptly named Shakers after their uniquely energetic style of animated worshipping. Her rise to prominence as a sort of feminine Mesiah saw her encourage her followers into a life of sexual abstinence - to the chagrin of her blacksmith husband “Abraham” (Christopher Abbott) with whom she had already had, and lost, four children. Having achieved all they could with the so-called Wardley sect in Britain, they emigrated illiterate and penniless to Albany in New York State where they proceeded to establish an agrarian community and where she and her brother William (Lewis Pullman) proceeded to try to recruit new followers. Naturally, the facts that their faith was new and she a woman in a man’s world made things both difficult and perilous for all concerned, and the rest of her life is depicted as a rather too simplistic mixture of struggles and triumphs. There is something distinctly theatrical about this interpretation of her life, and her pilgrimage, and with some set-piece songs and choreography it at times reminded me a little of “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971) as it tried to marry religiosity and community with empowering elements of song and dance. For me, though, the film lacks for soul. Seyfried is entirely competent with her presentation, but at no time did I feel any sense of her passion. Not for her husband in the early days of their marriage, nor for her God as her faith took total control of her life. That emotional vacuum really does begin to impose itself as the history enters it’s American phase and as both she and her brother begin their recruitment drive, I couldn’t help but think any successes were more borne from failures and desperation elsewhere than any great compunction for their religion or it’s values. The pacing can be uncomfortably erratic at times as we spend too much time on the establishment of the characters and nowhere near enough time developing them convincingly. Aside from Seyfried it cries out for a stronger supporting lead as neither Pullman nor the sparingly featured Abbott get anywhere near what I thought was required to illustrate just how significant Lee s achievements really were. Indeed, it’s very much a series of two-dimensional performances we are watching as we frequently switch from scene to scene as if we were rotating a stage in a larger theatre. The production design is impressive and clearly a great deal of effort has gone into the aesthetics of this film, but somehow the substance has been left wanting and at times these people and their doctrine can come across as faintly ridiculous. To be fair, there was a lot of life to pack in here and so abridgements were always going to be necessary, but I’m not sure what we are left with here does much justice to the struggles and perseverance of her and her spiritual pioneers.