Chantal Marie Cariou

The Book of Clarence can feel stuck in a purgatory between Monty Python, Martin Scorsese and William Wyler. There’s satire but it isn’t as flagrant as Life of Brian. There’s a genuine spiritual interrogation akin to The Last Temptation of Christ but nowhere near as carnal, curious and transcendent. And ultimately, there’s reverence for biblical epics like Ben-Hur, which, from its exhilarating opening chariot race to its overriding sense of piousness, The Book of Clarence clings to. No movie could thread that needle. That Book of Clarence even tries is what makes it so likeable...