The Testament of Ann Lee Goes Full Stomp-Clap

by

Watching The Testament of Ann Lee feels like a never-ending, increasingly bizarre sketch, reminiscent of those old The Onion cartoons where a character gleefully shouts, “Yes… ha ha ha… yes!!” And after seeing the trailer, that reaction feels entirely justified. Mona Fastvold’s latest film is a historical musical about Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker movement—an 18th-century religious group that practiced ecstatic dance as their primary form of worship. One of our reviewers even called it “one of the strangest musicals ever made.”

Director Charlotte Fastvold teamed up with her partner, Brady Corbet, to create this film. Corbet’s previous movie, The Brutalist, sparked a lot of conversation (and disagreement) last year. They always write their films together, but Fastvold’s work usually feels more realistic – at least, it did until now. The preview offers few story details, focusing instead on rhythmic clapping and quick cuts between dancing and scenes of colonial life. Amanda Seyfried looks fantastic – vulnerable, powerful, and full of emotion. It’s surprising this is her first musical since the quirky Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. She’s joined by Christopher Abbott, who was excellent in Fastvold’s previous film, The World to Come, along with Lewis Pullman and Thomasin McKenzie, who plays a character with limited vision. Fastvold brings religious scenes to life with music by Daniel Blumberg, who reimagines traditional Shaker spirituals. The Testament of Ann Lee has the potential to be the best musical experience of the decade. Overall, it looks incredible, so get ready to embrace the energy and enjoy the show.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=-zK_nzG36mk

Read More

2025-11-06 20:54