A Quick Review of Selma

 

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           Selma is the story of the efforts of the African-American population, spearheaded by Martin Luther King Jr., to attain legislation for equal voting rights for all through nonviolent protest. Determination, overcoming adversity, and solidarity are prevalent themes throughout the film. It is a vivid snapshot of an important event in the history of the United States.

            I thoroughly enjoyed watching Selma. The dialogue between all of the characters seemed fluid and very believable. Martin Luther King Jr., played by David Oyelowo, had a very short stature in comparison to the other characters, but his hierarchal stature was emphasized through the body language and interactions of those around him. When he first visited a restaurant in Selma, it was made very clear that King was the most important figure because his movements were the most deliberate, while his entourage were a bit reserved about the situation and concerned for their friend and leader. They never impeded King’s movements because he was the one in charge.

            The movie also did a good job of portraying the severity of the discrimination by white people and how it impacted the African-American people, both individuals and the community as a whole. In the very beginning of the film, the jarring transition from children walking down a brightly lit stairwell to the explosion that left them mangled beneath the rubble solidified the fear and uncertainty that those people had to live with throughout their daily lives.

            I was taught at an early age that discrimination was something to avoid at all costs. I am able to empathize with the characters from the film because I have never seen any people as anything other than just human. The scene where King is talking to the grandfather of Jimmie Lee Jackson, who was killed by a state trooper, sent more than a few tears down my face, not because I felt sorry for him because he was a particular race, but because I felt sorrow for a man who lost a loved one.

            Selma is a very powerful and emotional film that is well worth the watch.