The Book of Clarence is not your normal Messiah movie

The Book of Clarence isn’t a Jesus-parody. It’s the tale of a grifter who decides to go into the Messiah business with unexpected consequences. But is it meant to be a comedy or a social commentary? Giles Gough isn’t quite sure

As Monty Python learned in 1979, Christians tend to be wary (to say the least) of any film that could be construed as a parody of the life of Jesus. So, for those of you who are uncertain, let me put your mind at ease: Jesus is in this film, he is the son of God and he demonstrably works miracles. The depiction of Jesus is in no way blasphemous and yet, the 15-certificate given to this film is probably the best clue that it may not be for everyone.

The film opens with Clarence (played by Lakeith Stanfield) losing a fast-paced chariot race through Jerusalem to (of all people) Mary Magdalene. With the prize money and the chariot lost, Clarence and his best friend Elijah are now in deep with the local crime boss who loaned them the chariot. After a series of trials, Clarence decides that the best way to earn money fast is to set himself up as a false messiah, performing ‘miracles’ on plants in the crowd and preaching his message that knowledge is stronger than belief. After all, as Clarence asks: “You ever seen Jesus buy a pair of sandals?”