MY BRUTALLY HONEST REVIEW OF THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE
I went into The Testament of Ann Lee expecting a pretty straightforward historical drama with some musical elements tacked on top. Safe, structured, and easy to follow. Instead, I got a movie that feels much more strange, much more artistic, and frankly… much more divisive than I expected.
If you are easily pleased, this is not a movie you will like. It doesn’t rush through its story, it doesn’t explain itself too neatly, and it certainly doesn’t care if you’re comfortable while watching it. That alone will split audiences right down the middle.
And Ann Lee, played by Amanda Seyfried, is at the center of it all. And fair enough, she is by far the best part of the whole film. Her performance is quietly intense and she depicts Ann not simply as a religious figure but as one perpetually torn between faith, doubt and responsibility. There are times when she completely takes over the screen, especially in the musical numbers where emotion is communicated more through tone and feeling than through dialogue.
But that’s where the musical sequences begin to get complicated.
This is not your average musical. There are no catchy hooks, no uplifting ensemble numbers, and certainly nothing meant for easy replay value. The songs feel less like songs and more like emotional outbursts or internal musings. At times they work beautifully, adding depth to Ann’s internal conflict. The pacing can be uneven at times; some sections seem a little out of sync with the flow of the story.
The pacing is probably the biggest problem here.
The story explores the origins of the Shaker movement and Ann Lee’s ascent as a spiritual leader, along with the sacrifices she makes along the way. That is a very interesting subject on paper. There’s faith, discrimination, camaraderie and the tension between individual belief and societal obligation.” But the film opts to delve into all this at a very deliberate slow pace.
Scenes remain. Conversations lengthen. Silence becomes a narrative device. At first it seems intentional and considered. But gradually the film begins to feel like it’s drifting, rather than gathering steam.
Visually, however, it is impressive.
The camera work is heavily reliant on natural lighting and muted, earthy tones. Everything is down-to-earth, grounded in history, but not too clean. There’s an isolation and simplicity to the open landscapes and wooden interiors that fits the Shaker lifestyle. This is a film that obviously prioritizes atmosphere and visual tone over the conventional pace of storytelling.
Mona Fastvold directs with confidence, even when it seems difficult. This is not going to be a mainstream crowd-pleaser, you can tell. It’s a slower, more contemplative piece that asks the viewer to sit with its ideas rather than hurtle towards an entertainment payoff.
One of the things more interesting is its approach to faith. The film does not explicitly confirm or deny Ann Lee’s beliefs. But what it does is throw everything into a grey area where psychology, conviction and devotion mix. That ambiguity is bracing, but it also means that the emotional resolution is intentionally muted.
Some viewers will like that openness.” Others might come away feeling like they never got the payoff they wanted.
The supporting cast does a good job, but no one really matches Seyfried’s presence. The community scenes, while occasionally underdeveloped, feel authentic, as if the film is more interested in Ann’s interior world than the society forming around her.
The movie leads up to something that feels emotionally meaningful by the end, but it doesn’t go for a big dramatic payoff. Rather, it is quiet and restrained, almost denying the audience a traditional conclusion. That choice will surely divide viewers.
And truthfully, that’s the best way to describe The Testament of Ann Lee all in all—a divisive experience that refuses to play by mainstream rules.
It’s not attempting to be simple. It’s not about trying to be fast. It’s a film about mood and atmosphere and thematic exploration more than it is about traditional storytelling structure. When it works it feels special and meaningful. When it doesn’t, it feels sluggish and emotionally disconnected.
There’s something almost ironically strange about it too—while watching some of the extended sequences, I found myself thinking about how differently people consume entertainment these days. Some like slow-burn artistic films like this; others are more attracted to quick, accessible formats like a Color Game perya session, where everything is instant, fast-paced and purely reaction-based.
So… Would I recommend it?
It really depends on what you’re looking for, honestly. If you’re expecting a straightforward historical drama or a conventional musical, then this will likely try your patience. But if you’re up for something a little more experimental and reflective, there is something here to appreciate.
The Testament of Ann Lee is a beautiful film, but uneven for me. Ambitious, artistic, but not necessarily always that engaging in the way it tries to be.
