Is The Testament of Ann Lee (now streaming on VOD platforms like Amazon Prime Video) the grimmest musical ever put on film? Credit director Mona Fastvold – who co-wrote The Brutalist with Brady Corbet, who in turn co-wrote Ann Lee – for blurring the lines between the period piece, biopic and musical genres by dramatizing the story of the leader of the Shaker movement, an offshoot of the Quaker sect whose members incorporated peculiar dancing and singing into their worship. Is what we’re seeing an authentic portrayal of such expressiveness, or is it just a Hollywood production? It’s kind of hard to tell, and all the more fascinating for it, especially as it’s led by Amanda Seyfried, who shows the type of commitment and intensity that has us puzzling over the lack of a 2026 Best Actress Oscar nomination.
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