It’s been said that The Testament of Ann Lee is Amanda Seyfried’s answer to not getting cast as Glinda in Wicked. Whether or not that thought ever crossed Seyfried’s head, it’s ironic that neither this film nor Wicked: For Good got any Oscar nominations. Both deserved better, however. When I saw The Testament of Ann Lee last November, I knew it would be a tough sell, both to awards voters and especially general moviegoers. The film nevertheless seems bound to gain a passionate following. In a way, the reception to Mona Fastvold’s film mirrors Ann Lee’s own journey.
Ann Lee is depicted as a woman who initially tried to follow the traditional path that was expected of her. Following multiple miscarriages, Ann becomes the mother of all children. Drawn to the Shaker movement, Ann is proclaimed a female embodiment of Jesus. This naturally makes her a figure of both inspiration and controversy. The fact that Ann is a woman who advocates for equal rights only makes her more divisive. Ann is called many things, ranging from cult leader to the Messiah. A true or false prophet, Ann Lee would nonetheless meet a fate not entirely unlike Christ’s.
The Testament of Ann Lee is also a musical, which proves to be a strength and a weakness. Daniel Blumberg’s score blends masterfully with Celia Rowlson-Hall’s choreography, cleverly incorporating hymns and ritual dancing that capture the essence of the Shaker movement. They flow together so naturally that it’s easy to forget that we’re watching a musical. As hypnotic as Blumberg’s score is, the songs are where The Testament of Ann Lee falls short. There are only three original tunes, with the others being adaptations, but after you’ve heard one, it feels like you’ve heard them all. The choreography and William Rexer’s sweeping cinematography inject life into every musical number, but when isolated from the imagery on screen, the songs can get repetitive.
Although The Testament of Ann Lee is a mixed bag as a musical, one couldn’t sing Seyfried higher praises. It would’ve been easy for Seyfried to become eternally pigeonholed as Karen Smith, but over twenty years later, she remains one of our boldest and most exciting actresses. Whether she’s singing, crying, or chanting here, Seyfried throws herself (sometimes literally) into every moment on screen. Even in a filmography that includes her lovable turn as Marion Davies in Mank and her portrait of a deplorable human being in The Dropout, Ann Lee will surely go down as one of Seyfried’s most astonishing performances. Perhaps even her best.
Mona Fastvold previously co-wrote The Brutalist, which pulled off an epic feat on budget that reportedly didn’t even exceed $10 million. The Testament of Ann Lee is another small film that conveys a grand scale with immersive direction and larger-than-life performances. Like Ann Lee herself, not everyone may appreciate the film at first. History has been kind to Ann Lee, though, not only as a religious figure, but as a feminist as well. The Testament of Ann Lee feels like a film that audiences will likely look back on years later, questioning why the Academy didn’t bow to Amanda Seyfried. Some are already asking that.