Amazing Grace
The story of William Wilberforce, the British politician who spent decades fighting to abolish the slave trade, driven by his Christian faith and the mentorship of former slave trader turned hymn writer John Newton.
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📝 Our Review
Ioan Gruffudd brings a passionate intensity to Wilberforce that makes 18th-century parliamentary politics genuinely riveting. The film captures the sheer frustration of a man who knew slavery was wrong, had the evidence and the arguments, and still couldn't convince his colleagues to vote for abolition — year after year, for nearly two decades. Albert Finney is magnificent as John Newton (the man who wrote 'Amazing Grace'), now old and blind but still haunted by the 20,000 slaves he transported. Their scenes together crackle with the weight of history and conscience. Benedict Cumberbatch appears in an early role as William Pitt, and the supporting cast is uniformly excellent. The film's political maneuvering — the backroom deals, the strategic compromises — plays like a historical thriller. Michael Gambon as a scheming Lord Fox adds menace and humor. The film could have been dry; instead, it's inspiring and infuriating in equal measure. The fact that Wilberforce's faith was the engine of his activism is presented matter-of-factly rather than didactically. Essential viewing.