Selma, the 2014 drama by young director Ava DuVernay, is an interesting film for me since it is set in a place just an hour and a half away from my home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The film was strategically released on the 50th anniversary of the momentous march and garnered both Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Picture.

The story focuses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) who, accompanied by his wife, Coretta Scott King, (Carmen Ejogo) just accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. While he is honored to receive the prize, he is eager to get back to America and continue his struggle for civil rights. King meets with President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), a reluctant supporter of King’s mission, and King explains his desire for legislation protecting the rights of black voters. Johnson says that he simply cannot accomplish this task at the moment and is instead focusing on his new “War on Poverty.” Undeterred by Johnson’s unwillingness to help, King goes in search of a Southern city that will prove to be an example of the brutality and hardships that black voters face. King finds the perfect city in the perfect state, Selma, Alabama. The combination of the staunchly segregationist Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth) and aggressively racist Sheriff Jim Clark (Stan Houston) set up a situation that the rest of America cannot ignore. As King attempts to bring about legislative change through non-violent resistance, he is faced with tough decisions about his safety and the safety of those participating in his rallies.

As far as historical dramas go, Selma is a gem when it comes to veracity. It portrays contentious parts of American history with eloquence and impartiality, while leaving room for nuance. King is certainly portrayed as a heroic figure in this movie (as he should be), but DuVernay was not afraid to show the darker side of King’s family life. DuVernay even did a fantastic job portraying the divisions in the civil rights struggle and how the movement was not always as unified as many would think. The only major historical inaccuracy is the way that President Johnson is portrayed as the enemy of King, when most agree that they had a great relationship. I wholeheartedly endorse the idea of this movie being shown in schools (where more historically inaccurate movies like The Patriot and 13 Days are shown).

The acting in this film was fantastic and the dialogue never felt forced. Oyelowo had a tricky role playing a man whose voice and presence is so well-known, but as soon as he enters the film, he is a near embodiment of Dr. King.

Selma is a poignant portrayal of a pivotal moment in American history, that manages to toe the line between historical accuracy and entertainment.