The Testament of Ann Lee

Watch in the UK

Watch in the US

Data provided by

8 / 10

1 Review

Rate this movie:

8 Based on 1 Votes

10

0
9

0
8

1
7

0
6

0
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0

Overview

The extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers as the female Christ.

Media

Amanda Seyfried talks about being at 'theatre camp' for The Testament of Ann Lee

Cast

Christopher Abbott

Thomasin McKenzie

Director:

Mona Fastvold

Writer:

Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet

Release Date:

2025-12-25

Run Time:

137m

Tagline:

The Earth will shake and tremble.

Genres:

Drama History Music

Keywords:

18th century admiring adoring based on real person celibacy christianity evangelical christianity exhilarated manchester meditative musical new york city provocative religious leader repression shakers tragic woman director

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 10,000,000.00$

Revenue: 4,196,577.00$

Vote Average: 6.5/10

Vote Count: 123 Votes

Movie Popularity: 3.5962

Spoken Languages: English

Review

View all reviews

Insomniacs Reviews
- 28 April 2026 at 3:51 pm

8 Based on 1 Votes
10

0
9

0
8

1
7

0
6

0
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0
⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY Ann Lee is a woman living in 18th-century Manchester who is weary of a world filled with suffering and inequality. After experiencing a series of profound spiritual visions, she becomes the leader of a radical sect known as the Shakers. Preaching pacifism, gender equality, and strict celibacy, Ann leads her small group of "shaking" followers across the Atlantic to colonial New York to build a utopian society. The film follows thirty years of her life as she battles religious persecution and the personal cost of being proclaimed a female Christ. THE PROS Amanda Seyfried is epic; she anchors the film with a raw, vibrating energy that makes Ann’s fanatical devotion feel completely human. Mona Fastvold’s direction is punchy, especially during the "ecstatic worship" scenes where the music and choreography create a genuine sense of religious mania. The cinematography is stunning, often compared to 'Barry Lyndon' for its lush, candlelit realism. It’s a good movie because it treats a bizarre historical movement with respect while delivering some hauntingly beautiful musical set pieces that use traditional Shaker hymns. THE CONS It earns an 8/10 because the pacing is very slow and deliberate, which can feel sluggish if you aren't in the mood for a two-hour-plus historical epic. Some of the mystical sequences are a bit of a damp squib and feel slightly muted compared to the intense reality of the Shakers' daily lives. It misses a higher mark because the story can feel repetitive as the group moves from one location to another, facing the same types of backlash over and over again. THE VERDICT An 8/10. A good movie and highly recommended for fans of high-end period dramas like 'The Witch' or 'The Brutalist'. It’s a winner for Seyfried's performance alone. Go and watch it for the choreography—the way they use movement to express faith is quality. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • Musical Pedigree: The original score and songs were composed by Daniel Blumberg, who previously won an Oscar for his work on 'The Brutalist'. He reimagined actual 18th-century Shaker hymns for the film's big set pieces.• True Dedication: One of the film's most impressive musical sequences was shot on a fully operational 18th-century ship at sea to capture the authentic feeling of the Shakers' perilous journey to America.• Script Duo: The screenplay was co-written by director Mona Fastvold and her long-time collaborator Brady Corbet. The two have built a reputation for creating dense, visually arresting historical dramas together. THE VIBE Like a prayer whispered in a cold stone cellar. It smells like beeswax candles, damp wool, and freshly turned soil.

Videos

Amanda Seyfried talks about being at 'theatre camp' for The Testament of Ann Lee

Cast

Christopher Abbott

Thomasin McKenzie

Amanda Seyfried

Viola Prettejohn

Related Movies To

The Testament of Ann Lee

La Haine

9 / 10

1 Review

After a chaotic night of rioting in a marginal suburb of Paris, three young friends, Vinz, Hubert and Saïd, wander around unoccupied waiting for news about the state of health of a mutual friend who has been seriously injured when confronting the police.

Run time: 98m Tagline: How far you fall doesn't matter, it's how you land… Release: 1995-05-31

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Stars: Abdel Ahmed Ghili Héloïse Rauth Hubert Koundé Joseph Momo Laurent Labasse Olga Abrego Rywka Wajsbrot Saïd Taghmaoui Solo Vincent Cassel

Oldboy

10 / 10

1 Review

With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.

Run time: 120m Tagline: 15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance. Release: 2003-11-21

Director: Park Chan-wook

Stars: Choi Min-sik Ji Dae-han Kang Hye-jung Kim Byeong-ok Lee Seung-shin Oh Dal-su Oh Tae-kyung Yoo Ji-tae Yoo Yeon-seok Yoon Jin-seo

Remarkably Bright Creatures

9 / 10

1 Review

Through unlikely bonds formed during night shifts at a local aquarium, Tova, an elderly widow, learns of a life-changing discovery that may bring her joy and wonder once again.

Run time: 114m Release: 2026-05-07

Director: Olivia Newman

Stars: Beth Grant Brandon McEwan Colm Meaney Donald Sales Joan Chen Kathy Baker Lewis Pullman Mapuana Makia Sally Field Sofia Black-D'Elia

Sarah’s Oil

7 / 10

1 Review

Sarah Rector, a Black girl born in early 20th-century Oklahoma Indian Territory, believes there is oil beneath the barren land she’s allotted, and her faith proves right. As greedy oil sharks close in, Sarah turns to family, friends, and some Texas wildcatters to maintain control of her oil-rich land, eventually becoming among the nation's first Black female millionaires—at eleven years old.

Run time: 103m Tagline: Inspired by a true story of faith and fortune. Release: 2025-11-06

Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh

Stars: Adyan Copes Bridget Regan Garret Dillahunt Jonathan Lipnicki Kenric Green Mel Rodriguez Naya Desir-Johnson Sonequa Martin-Green Stelio Savante Zachary Levi

Rise of the Conqueror

7 / 10

1 Review

In the 14th-century, as the Silk Road crumbles and rival factions tear the land apart, fearless warrior Timur emerges from exile. Stripped of everything, he fights to unite the fractured kingdoms, using strategy and sheer will to carve an empire from chaos. Undefeated in battle and widely regarded as one of history’s greatest military leaders and tacticians, not to mention one of its most brutal, Timur would found the Timurid Empire, which ruled over modern-day Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia.

Run time: 119m Release: 2026-04-09

Director: Jacob Schwarz

Stars: Arazou Baker Aziz Beyshenaliev Christian Mortensen Dulguun Odkhuu Joshua Jo Mahesh Jadu Maruf Otajonov Paul Marlon Sanzhar Madi Yulduz Rajabova

Collections

The Testament of Ann Lee

This movie is not part of any collection.

Reviews for

The Testament of Ann Lee

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 28 April 2026 at 4:51 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10
THE SUMMARY
Ann Lee is a woman living in 18th-century Manchester who is weary of a world filled with suffering and inequality. After experiencing a series of profound spiritual visions, she becomes the leader of a radical sect known as the Shakers. Preaching pacifism, gender equality, and strict celibacy, Ann leads her small group of “shaking” followers across the Atlantic to colonial New York to build a utopian society. The film follows thirty years of her life as she battles religious persecution and the personal cost of being proclaimed a female Christ.
THE PROS
Amanda Seyfried is epic; she anchors the film with a raw, vibrating energy that makes Ann’s fanatical devotion feel completely human. Mona Fastvold’s direction is punchy, especially during the “ecstatic worship” scenes where the music and choreography create a genuine sense of religious mania. The cinematography is stunning, often compared to ‘Barry Lyndon’ for its lush, candlelit realism. It’s a good movie because it treats a bizarre historical movement with respect while delivering some hauntingly beautiful musical set pieces that use traditional Shaker hymns.
THE CONS
It earns an 8/10 because the pacing is very slow and deliberate, which can feel sluggish if you aren’t in the mood for a two-hour-plus historical epic. Some of the mystical sequences are a bit of a damp squib and feel slightly muted compared to the intense reality of the Shakers’ daily lives. It misses a higher mark because the story can feel repetitive as the group moves from one location to another, facing the same types of backlash over and over again.
THE VERDICT
An 8/10. A good movie and highly recommended for fans of high-end period dramas like ‘The Witch’ or ‘The Brutalist’. It’s a winner for Seyfried’s performance alone. Go and watch it for the choreography—the way they use movement to express faith is quality.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• Musical Pedigree: The original score and songs were composed by Daniel Blumberg, who previously won an Oscar for his work on ‘The Brutalist’. He reimagined actual 18th-century Shaker hymns for the film’s big set pieces.
• True Dedication: One of the film’s most impressive musical sequences was shot on a fully operational 18th-century ship at sea to capture the authentic feeling of the Shakers’ perilous journey to America.
• Script Duo: The screenplay was co-written by director Mona Fastvold and her long-time collaborator Brady Corbet. The two have built a reputation for creating dense, visually arresting historical dramas together.
THE VIBE
Like a prayer whispered in a cold stone cellar. It smells like beeswax candles, damp wool, and freshly turned soil.

Leave a Review Cancel reply