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By Christopher J. Troilo
UMConnection Movie Reviewer

There are certain eras of humanity?s existence that have deeply wounded our history. These wounds scar over to varying degrees, but for some of them, no amount of time should yield to their creation ever being forgotten. One of the most egregious of these dark times is the era of slavery; and to ensure the world would never forget it, a song was written.

'Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.' But who is this sin-filled wretch? The answer is the composer, John Newton, who wrote the now famous lyrics during his self-imposed seclusion from the world, tucked away in a monastery. His sin was his job: to captain a slave ship running between Great Britain and Africa, transporting human cargo for sale.

Upon seeing the error of his ways, Newton, portrayed masterfully in the new film, 'Amazing Grace,' by Albert Finney, became a minister and an outspoken advocate against the slave trade. His daring stance and position caught the attention of one William Wilberforce, played by Ioan Gruffudd, who would later go on to serve in Parliament starting near the end of the 18th century.

Wilberforce underwent what he described as a 'spiritual conversion experience,' much like his friend John Newton, inspiring him to use his position in Parliament and his exceptional oratorical skills to press for the abolition of the slave trade entirely in Great Britain.

Due to the number of affluent stakeholders involved in this trade, Wilberforce?s battle from the outset was nothing short of David versus Goliath.

Luckily, Wilberforce also had good friends in high places, one of whom was William Pitt, a man who shared Wilberforce?s viewpoints and who would go on to become prime minister. For over two decades these two men would work tirelessly to preserve the principle that all men and women were created equal.

This all makes for a truly remarkable story, and 'Amazing Grace' should be applauded for portraying the events so honestly and accurately. There is always a fear that historical period films will over-dramatize events and personalities to make them more interesting. I am happy to report that my research found little askew from the events I saw on the screen.

Any valid criticism about this movie would not be about the quality of the content, but the quantity. 'American Grace' moves rather quickly to make a long story short, but one gets the feeling it is missing a few steps along its tumultuous journey. The non-linear style of storytelling may be a factor since most of the film is told in flashback. The result doesn?t build suspense, as I?m sure director Michael Apted intended, but rather distracts from it.

Nonetheless, 'Amazing Grace' is another of those movies that one should see, and not just because of the history. I?m sure many audiences will watch this story and remark how awful the slave trade was centuries ago. While such historical awareness is valuable, the film should also stir us to raise the question, 'Is this really all behind us?'

Sometimes people tend to think of oppressive acts or movements, such as racism or slavery, as diseases we?ve overcome. I contend that these 'diseases' haven?t been eradicated, but merely transformed, and are alive in our midst today. The only difference today is that they are less obvious.

U.S. State Department research estimates '600,000 to 820,000 men, women, and children (are) trafficked across international borders each year; approximately 80 percent are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors.' It is for this reason that my heart is afraid.

For me, 'Amazing Grace' is the beginning of an education I wish to undertake and share with my readers. My intention is personally to conduct research on this issue and attempt to shed some light on what is maybe the darkest of atrocities facing our world today.

So please, go see 'Amazing Grace,' and don?t let the voices of those who were oppressed be forgotten, nor those who are oppressed today go unheard. Remind yourself about the power of even just one voice, speaking in the name of what is right.

Score: 8.8 out of 10

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