This documentary film tells the story of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, from childhood until the present day, as narrated by Thomas himself. Although Clarence Thomas remains a controversial figure, loved by some, reviled by others, few know much more than a few headlines and the recollections of his contentious Senate confirmation battle with Anita Hill. (Rated PG-13)
Unscripted and without narration, the documentary takes the viewer through this complex and often painful life, dealing with race, faith, power, jurisprudence, and personal resilience.
With unprecedented access, the producers interviewed Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, Virginia, for over thirty hours, over many months. Justice Thomas tells his entire life’s story, looking directly at the camera, speaking frankly to the audience. The documentary proceeds chronologically, combining Justice Thomas’ first person account with a rich array of historical archive material, period and original music, personal photos, and evocative recreations.
The film covers much of Thomas’ young adult years, when he considered himself “radical to left” in his political philosophy to when he became a conservative stalwart sitting on the bench of the nation’s highest court defending the original intent of the U.S. Constitution.
The film covers much of Thomas’ young adult years, when he considered himself “radical to left” in his political philosophy to when he became a conservative stalwart sitting on the bench of the nation’s highest court defending the original intent of the U.S. Constitution.
The informative movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements and includes some sexual references. The film replays a few minutes of the sexually explicit Senate testimony from 1991. Some language involves Thomas quoting other people.
Check out Crosswalk.com for another Christian movie review of this film.
Limited DVD sales will be available in late July 2020, followed by streaming in Fall 2020. Sign up for the movie’s newsletter for updates on how to purchase for educational or organizational use,
The film was shown this past May on PBS and had a limited theatrical run between January 31 – March 15 2020.
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Matthew Five, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
View the movie trailer below. (2:10 min)
