Where to watch
Available at home
Clarence risks everything to carve his own divine path amidst debt and family struggles.
Trailer
Why watch this film?
Our suggestions
Streetwise but down-on-his-luck, Clarence is struggling to find a better life for his family, while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out.
"Biblical epics in the style of Ben-Hur are so recognizable in classic cinema that they have been the subject of witty parodies (most notably, the also classic Monty Python's Life of Brian). Here, director Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) filters the conventions of these films through a black lens, with a cast led by names like Lakeith Stanfield, Alfre Woodard, David Oyelowo, Omar Sy, and Anna Diop, among others. The Book of Clarence follows a man who, aspiring to be someone in life, decides to capitalize on the popularity of Jesus of Nazareth for his own benefit. Through the biblical cliché, the film examines issues such as black identity, the distortion of faith by organized religions, and the very sense of goodness and compassion. It's somewhat uneven but nonetheless entertaining."