SummaryIn 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) leads a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The march from Selma to Montgomery culminates in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.
Directed By:Ava DuVernay
Written By:Paul Webb
Selma
Metascore
Generally Favorable
79
User score
Generally Favorable
7.3
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
88% Positive
46 Reviews
46 Reviews
10% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
2% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Jan 8, 2015
100
Oyelowo takes full advantage of his close physical resemblance to King, but he wisely avoids mere impersonation, delivering a performance that’s as sensitive as it is spellbinding.
Dec 17, 2014
100
DuVernay has done a great service with Selma. Not only has she made one of the most powerful films of the year, she's given us a necessary reminder of what King did for this country...and how much is left to be done.
User score
Generally Favorable
75% Positive
342 Ratings
342 Ratings
13% Mixed
60 Ratings
60 Ratings
11% Negative
51 Ratings
51 Ratings
Dec 20, 2020
10
Watch this movie. Usually I’ll recommend a movie, but this time it’s compulsory. Selma tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March in Selma, Alabama. This film is so good, the acting writing and directing are all on point, but the thing that makes Selma a must watch is the relevance to today’s climate. Anyone who preaches social justice and racial equality should take $5 and rent this film. So many of the messages and themes that were relevant in the 1960s are still relevant today, in a truely horrifying way.
Aug 23, 2020
10
Selma is one of the most moving and rousing biopics I have ever seen. This movie got a lot of snubs at the oscars, it only got Best Picture and Best Song??!!! This film is one of the best edited movies I have ever seen and has a terrific lead performance by David Oyelowo at it's heart. It got snubbed for Best Actor, Best Editing, Best Director and Best Screenplay at the oscars. SHAME ON YOU OSCARS!! This film really manages to convey brilliant storytelling with emotional and moving moments. It's balance on Luther King's personal life is well-handled and whenever it does come, it's all about the difficulties he faces, which makes it a lot more intriguing and interesting. It manages to convey racist themes well and creates a realistic and strong portrayal **** man!
Dec 28, 2018
88
David Oyelowo plays King, and there’s no denying he brings a charismatic forcefulness to the part. This is particularly true in his speeches, which begin calmly, rooted in reason, and then whip up into a righteous fury that he struggles to contain and barely – just barely – does.
Dec 28, 2018
80
A vital and timely missive to a new generation that is as sobering as it is uplifting, all built around a performance of astounding accomplishment.
Jan 9, 2015
75
Taken strictly as a movie, though, Selma is an uneven yet generally skillful effort that has probably drawn more praise and criticism than it warrants.
Nov 12, 2014
70
DuVernay’s razor-sharp portrait of the Civil Rights movement — and Dr. King himself — at a critical crossroads is as politically astute as it is psychologically acute, giving us a human-scale King whose indomitable public face belies currents of weariness and self-doubt.
Jan 9, 2019
30
Sequences depicting the Selma marches – the first of which led to violent police attacks that were seen on national TV and helped change the mood of the country – are fairly understated, when a more visceral approach might have given the film more emotional heft.
Sep 2, 2017
10
This was an amazing film, with direction that effectively used amazing performances and shots, silence and lighting to show us what the civil rights movement fought so hard for. I can't remember the last time I cried in a movie theater, and this made me do that. It also made me realize the civil rights movement was built from many people, and how their courage, dedication and joy helped to usher in advances for all Americans. Highly recommended.
May 25, 2015
6
Though well-intentioned, "Selma" really suffers from the fractious King family's refusal to allow the use of MLK's own eloquent words. The usually excellent Oyelowo seemed oddly low-key as MLK, except when he was speechifying. Overall a worthwhile piece of history and definitely had some stirring moments. But does not feel like an embodiment of the man and his times as (for example) Denzel Washington did with Malcolm X or Colin Firth did with King George VI.
Feb 16, 2015
6
This film did not live up to the subject matter. In fact, I have seen better shows on television than this. It was as if this was a made for TV movie. I was really disappointed in the lack of scope and depth. Yes, I learned something about the strategy but there was no emotional punch except in the old film footage. I found it hard to believe that this was a Hollywood production as it looked like amateur hour. Having Ophra and Sheen in it did not help.
Jan 17, 2015
3
If the mere subject of a film demands good reviews and accolades, the responding critics are nothing more than sycophants. I failed to appreciate anything exceptional about this movie. Over acted by all the participants and plasticly formulaic in it's tempo and imagery. Don't believe the hype indeed.
Apr 14, 2015
2
So boring i got up and walked out half way through. The acting was mediocre, the pace was slow, and the screenplay was dull. It was like reading an encyclopedia article.
Production Company:
- Pathé
- Harpo Films
- Plan B Entertainment
- Cloud Eight Films
- Ingenious Media
- Celador Films
- Pathe UK
Release Date:Dec 25, 2014
Duration:2 h 8 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:One dream can change the world.
Website:
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Black Reel Awards
• 8 Wins & 10 Nominations
