The Book of Clarence

"Clarence" (LaKeith Stanfield) and brother "Elijah" (RJ Cyler) come off worst in a chariot race with Mary Magdalene (Teyana Taylor) and that lets us know that he is now in hock to the nasty "Jedediah the Terrible" (Eric Kofi Abrefa) for a great deal of money. It quite literally is his money or his life. He has a relationship, of sorts, with "Varinia" who might be able to intercede with her menacing brother on his behalf, but meantime "Clarence" hits on an idea of his own. He is aware of the buzz in the community around the impending arrival of the Messiah, indeed his twin brother "Thomas" is an apostle (with a silent t). How hard can it be to fake some tricks to convince the gullible population that he can cure the sick or raise the dead? Up until now, this all has a rather "Monty Python" meets "Ben Hur" feel to it. It's amiable and well enough paced. Sadly, though, slightly more sincere and half-baked religious elements begin to kick in to the characters a little too earnestly, and the comedic elements are increasingly supplanted by a rather bitty narrative that sees the hitherto quite entertaining "Clarence" begin to take himself just a little too seriously and the entire enterprise stalls. Omar Sy delivers well as Barabbas - though I think maybe he ought to have been called Achilles; Benedict Cumberbatch looks more like Robert Powell than he does and the best scene by far comes from Alfre Woodard's lively interpretation of the Virgin Mary. It has it's moments, but is a bit of a mess of a film that starts off engagingly but is far too long and just sort of peters out.