The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) Movie Review: An Electrifying and Visually Staggering New World Epic

In a cinema landscape often dominated by predictable blockbusters, Mona Fastvold’s latest film, The Testament of Ann Lee, arrives as an undeniable cinematic event, one that demands attention and generates evangelical fervor. Co-written with her creative partner Brady Corbet, the team behind last year’s acclaimed The Brutalist returns with an even more ambitious, sweeping historical epic. This is not a film to be indifferent about; it’s too visually arresting and emotionally fervent for that. At its core, this nearly two-and-a-half-hour feature (clocking in at 130-136 minutes) is a quasi-Musical and profound historical Drama about a woman’s extraordinary and painful journey from obscurity to spiritual icon.

The film centers on Ann Lee (portrayed by the sensational Amanda Seyfried) , an 18th-century cotton-mill worker from Manchester, England. Haunted by personal tragedy, she rises to forge a radical religious movement that eventually becomes known as the Shakers. Her unshakable belief in communal living, gender equality, and ecstatic devotion leads her and her small flock to flee persecution and set sail for the New World. This The Testament of Ann Lee offers a rapturous, speculative biopic of this Mancunian preacher who came to believe she was the female incarnation of Christ. My thesis is simple: Fastvold has delivered a powerful, moving ode to belief and the profound ability to create community, elevated by a technical mastery that makes it feel destined for major recognition.

Director:Mona Fastvold
Writers: Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Esmee Hewett, Lewis Pullman, Benjamin Bagota, Thomasin McKenzie, Christopher Abbott, Tim Blake Nelson, Stacy Martin, Scott Handy
Genres: Drama, Musical
Runtime: 137 minutes (2 hours 17 minutes)
Release Date: September 1, 2025 (Venice Film Festival - Italy), December 25, 2025 (limited)

Story and Screenplay

The narrative structure of the film follows a relatively standard, cradle-to-grave biographical arc, beginning with Ann Lee’s childhood and concluding with her death at 48. What distinguishes the screenplay, penned by Fastvold and Corbet, is its focus on the deeply personal trauma that served as the catalyst for Ann's spiritual awakening. The emotional engine of the first act is harrowing: Ann suffers the devastating loss of four children, all of whom die before their first birthday. This inordinate accumulation of grief and suffering convinces her that procreation is sacrilege and that lifelong celibacy is the only way to achieve true closeness to God, a decree that forms the core tenet of her new sect.

The screenwriters adopt an interesting stance, resisting modern psychological frameworks but allowing the universal impact of maternal loss and sexual ambivalence to fuel Ann's radicalism. The second half, charting the Shakers’ perilous journey to America and the establishment of their community near Albany, is visually compelling but, structurally, loses some of the frenzied, emotional momentum of the first. Here, the film touches on the broader socio-political context, including the community's interactions with local indigenous populations and their stance against the British, but these elements feel notably underdeveloped. Issues like her brother William's sexuality or the Shakers' early abolitionist politics are barely explored, perhaps an intentional choice to keep the unwavering focus on Ann’s internal and spiritual journey, though it leaves the thematic resonance feeling a bit thin in those areas. Despite these minor narrative lags, the film successfully charts a remarkable evolution: from a persecuted English sect to an incipient American utopia built on the powerful act of creating a shared purpose.

Acting and Characters

Amanda Seyfried delivers what can only be described as a career-best performance as Ann Lee. Her portrayal is mesmerizing, a study in unbridled expiation and profound conviction. Seyfried is entirely believable as a woman who genuinely believes she is receiving instruction from the heavens, her large eyes filling with a desperate wonder that sells the credibility of her visions. Crucially, the film hinges on the audience believing in Ann’s faith, not necessarily sharing it, and Seyfried’s unwavering commitment achieves this. She is electrifying in the musical sequences, navigating Rowlson-Hall’s bold choreography with a compelling mix of defiance and despair. The only slight imperfection comes from an occasionally inconsistent Mancunian accent, though it is never distracting enough to undermine her magnetic performance.

The supporting cast is strong, though many of them are unfortunately overshadowed by the technical and musical extravagance of the film. Christopher Abbott gives a terrific performance as Abraham Standerin, Ann’s husband, masterfully navigating the real affection he has for her alongside his 18th-century male entitlement. His character’s hilariously understandable misery over Ann’s eventual abstinence policy provides subtle moments of humor. Lewis Pullman (as Ann's brother, William) and Thomasin McKenzie (as Mary Partington, the film’s narrator and Ann's devoted acolyte) are sturdy and expressive, convincingly portraying the figures closest to Ann, but they are given minimal room to fully flesh out their independent personalities beyond their devotion to "Mother Ann".

Direction and Technical Aspects

Mona Fastvold’s directorial vision is nothing short of masterly. She approaches the subject with a distinct eye for beauty and an unshakable assurance in her convictions. The film is a visual feast, shot on rich 70mm stock, giving it an epic scale and a gorgeous, tactile film grain.

Cinematographer William Rexer deftly divides the film into distinct visual chapters. The first half, set in Manchester, is composed in murky, "oily imitation of Rembrandt," using low, natural light to create a convincing, dark world of industrial modernity and apocalyptic mysticism. As Ann’s flock journeys across the Atlantic, the visuals shift to Caravaggio-like interiors and violent, grey-blue seas. Upon their arrival in the New World, the meticulous production design and linen-textured lensing begin to limn the Shakers’ signature aesthetic of austere antiquity, transitioning from the dark clutter of England to bright, white church spaces in America. This progression perfectly mirrors the emotional and spiritual journey of the protagonists. Fastvold also frequently utilizes long takes, particularly in the invigorating group numbers, often circling the congregants in ways that evoke spiritual awe, making the viewer feel enraptured by the spectacle. The only technical critique is that the heavy reliance on natural lighting and candles makes some nighttime scenes slightly difficult to comprehend.

Soundtrack and Atmosphere

The film is billed as a musical, though it’s far from a traditional Broadway affair. Instead, the music, courtesy of Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg, is derived from traditional Shaker hymns and spirituals, which he transfigures into propulsive and electrifying choral jams. The score is earthy, soulful, and evocative, featuring sparse, haunting instrumentation that ties into the themes of religious doubt and mystery. The lyrics are often circular and chant-like, repeating mantras that deepen in zeal and impact with each iteration.

This music is inseparable from Celia Rowlson-Hall’s startling choreography. The dance sequences are mesmerizingly exertive, effectively transforming the Shakers' trembling (the source of their name, "Shaking Quakers") into something resembling heightened, modern dance. The movements, marked by restless limbs and clawing digits, are seen as a form of expiation, a way for the congregants to release grief and be cleansed of sin. The early, frenetic movements, which border on chaotic, gradually evolve into something more orderly—a "line dance"—reflecting the enshrinement of their religious order. This symbiosis of sound, word, and image in the musical numbers is where the film finds its most stunning, authentic, and moving expression of the desperate human reach for the divine.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Having taken the journey with Ann Lee, here is my balanced view on what worked and what could have been improved in this 2025 Film:

What Worked Well (Strengths):

• Amanda Seyfried's Performance: A passionate, deeply committed, and truly sensational performance, easily her best work to date.
• Visual and Technical Grandeur: The film is visually exquisite, shot on 70mm, and conveys an undeniable feeling of spiritual awe and epic scale.
• The Musical Sequences: Daniel Blumberg's haunting score and Celia Rowlson-Hall’s mesmerizing, deconstructed choreography make the musical numbers intoxicating and original.
• Thematic Core: The film successfully crafts a moving and inspirational story about finding strength, conviction, and belonging through community.

What Could Have Been Better (Weaknesses):

• Pacing in the Second Half: The film is long, and the narrative momentum slows down considerably after the Shakers arrive in America, transitioning from miraculous ecstasy to a darker meditation.
• Underdeveloped Subplots: Compelling external political and social ideas, such as slavery opposition or the sexuality of supporting characters, are briefly introduced but never fully explored, leaving the film feeling thin in those areas.
• Technical Clarity: Some of the nighttime scenes are hard to make out due to the intentional use of limited natural light.
• Supporting Characters: The strong supporting cast is frequently overshadowed by Ann Lee’s story and the demanding technicality of the film.

Final Verdict

The Testament of Ann Lee is an ambitious, uncompromising, and audacious work of cinema. It is not a film designed merely to entertain, but to impress, challenge, and ultimately, to make the viewer feel something profound.

Mona Fastvold has created a portrait of pioneering womanhood and religious zealotry that is deeply respectful of its subject while simultaneously allowing for modern questions and perspectives. It is a spectacular-looking , powerful film that reminds us that faith, for many, is born not of dogma, but of deeply rooted pain, suffering, and the profound need to create order from chaos.

I highly recommend this 2025 Film to viewers who appreciate a visually stunning historical epic and unconventional narrative structure. It is a must-see for fans of films like The Witch or The Brutalist. If you are looking for a highly original Movie Review, look no further.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)