TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE, THE
(director/writer: Mona Fastvold; screenwriter: Brady Corbet; cinematographer: William Rexer; editor: Sofia Subercaseaux; music: Daniel Blumberg; cast: Amanda Seyfried (Ann Lee), Christopher Abbott (Abraham), Lewis Pullman (William), Tim Blake Nelson (Pastor Reuben Wright), Harry Conway (William Lee at 10), Thomasin MacKenzie (Mary, narrator), Stacy Martin (Jane Wardly), Matthew Beard (James Whittaker), Scott Handy (James Wardley), Jamie Bogyo (William Lee at 4), Viola Prettejohn (Nancy Lee), David Cale (John Hocknell); Runtime: 137; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Andrew Morrison, Joshua Horsfield, Viktória Petrányi, Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Lillian LaSalle, Mark Lampert; Searchlight Pictures/Annapurna Pictures; 2025-UK/USA)
“Convincing and mesmerizing performance by Seyfried that shook me up.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
An energized and scintillating religious musical biopic on the pious visionary Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried), who founded the Shaker movement as a means for religious liberation for those who want their Christian experience to be more intense. It’s superbly directed by the Norwegian filmmaker Mona Fastvold (“The World to Come”/”The Sleepwalker”) and observantly co-written by her and Brady Corbet raising more questions about the movement than answers.
The well-crafted experimental film tells of Ann Lee, born to a working-class Quaker family of eight, in 1736 in Manchester, England, who at an early age had spiritual visions making her think she was the female Jesus.
Ann Lee with the married Quaker believers Martin (Scott Handy) and Jane Wardley (Stacy Martin) founded a new Quaker sect who communicate with the divine by having ceremonies where they sing hymns, chant and shake during their rituals. Their community promotes racial harmony, tolerance, an ascetic modesty and equal rights for females.
Facing persecution in England for their radical religious beliefs, Ann Lee in 1774 decides to bring her community to America with her blacksmith husband Abraham (Christopher Abbott) and devoted younger brother William (Lewis Pullman).
The story is narrated by Ann Lee’s niece Mary (Thomasin MacKenzie), a devoted member of the Shakers.
In the New World, the Shaker community also come under attack by those who ignorantly challenge their religious beliefs and are angered they believe God is female. Over the years, the Shakers developed a rep for their excellent furniture, which they made and sold to help finance their community.
This is one of the more quirky and puzzling religious films. It turns out just fine thanks in large part to the convincing and mesmerizing performance by Seyfried that shook me up.
It played at the Venice Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 1/6/2026 GRADE: A-
dennisschwartzreviews.com