Brave Example

Rating: 9/10 (1 September 2018)

The important thing about historical films is that they show us things that we may not have seen. The Selma march is a key part of Dr. King's legacy, and was instrumental in getting the Voting Rights Act passed, a law that stood untouched for nearly fifty years until its key enforcement clauses were knocked down by the Supreme Court.
Director Ava DuVernay has successfully captured the mood of all parties directly affected by the stirrings happening in Selma. David Oyelowo gives a stirring performance as Dr. King, and Tom Wilkinson is quite capable as LBJ. It is easy to feel the reverberations when these two powerful, intelligent men clashed over when and how to give African Americans unimpeded access to the vote while people were beaten and murdered in the streets by angry rednecks.
In a time now where protesting has become much more common, and the people of this country are divided over many issues, a film like this is deeply important, because it reminds us of just how we can come together and overcome the ingrained problems of this country to forge a better future. Segregation and racism was so rooted in the south then, and it is truly not that much better now, but intelligent people stood together, made plans, and stuck to their guns. It is a road map for all who wish to evoke social change in this country, and it is a remarkable achievement in film to give us such an unfiltered look into how it all went down.
We've come a long way, but still have so far to go.