Artful Diorama

Rating: 8/10 (23 December 2014)

Dr. King is the main character, but '65 Selma is the subject of "Selma". It's an homage to his muses: the common citizens denied justice, a voice, a vote. It is about "the movement" in that time and at that place.
Those in and out of the SCLC who marched in Selma at great peril also stand for those without a voice and have prominent roles.
Director, Ava Duvernay, wouldn't get rights to King's speeches. So she wrote King's speech lines for the movie. So there is some lack of icon but the personal perspective is where the movie shines.
History is names, dates, places.... It's also unique in the heart of the student or movie goer. There are brief flashes of news archives of Bloody Sunday and the later events. Duvernay delivers some jolting recreations that touch the heart.
Martin Sheen appears as a federal district judge. In "Ghandi", he appeared as the journalist, Walker, who documented the leader's protests, giving an effective narrative and touchstone into the history. This movie includes such a role.