This is an End of Year Catch Up where Morgen writes about one or two (or more) films that she wasn’t able to before now. Perhaps they’re available for streaming, or maybe they’re just making their theatrical debut (like Ann Lee), but they’re all worthy of the attention.
The Testament of Ann Lee (2025 | US | 130 mins | Mona Fastvold)
In this fascinating journey of one woman and her pivotal role in bringing the Shaker religion to the United States. Ann was born into a life of humble servitude both personally and religiously with a strong sense of right and wrong. Her devotion only grew as she became a young woman, she came upon a congregation that especially spoke to her in it’s intensity and community. It’s unclear if they came to be known as the Shakers while in England or if that didn’t come about until her arduous and miraculous voyage to America with her brother and a few other followers in tow. However, they soon found infamy when Ann and her brother William Lee (Lewis Pullman) let the hand of god guide them to a large empty field where they would build their worshiping space and community. It wasn’t an easy road for Ann either in her mother country or this new wild land, but her unwavering faith never allowed for a moment of doubt.
If I had read the description above, I probably would be less than excited about seeing the film, but let me tell you, there’s so much more to it than you can imagine. Not only is it a dynamic and intriguing story, but Seyfried was a dynamo as the enigmatic Ann. She embodied the spirit and personality of a person that could be quite hard to understand. A martyr in may ways, an activist, a feminist and a religious zealot, Ann’s conviction emboldened others to be true to their own faith in the face of backlash and even physical danger. Bringing that kind of character to life and making it believable, especially in the form of a religious musical, is something to behold.
What really captured my attention was the role that music and a simple but powerful beat played in the film. I can say with certainty that I wouldn’t have enjoyed it half as much if Fastvold and fellow screenwriter Brady Corbit hadn’t made music an essential part of the story, pulling you in and building in intensity as the actors created and sustained those beats.
The Testament of Ann Lee current is in limited release in theaters