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One of the biggest challenges in making a movie examining the impact of an important historical figure like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is that directors bite off more than they can reasonably cover. The breadth and scope becomes the driving force of the movie, rather than the details and nuance of the character.
It’s for that very reason that Selma looks like a winner.
The movie stars David Oyelowo (The Butler) as Dr. King, and looks only at the three month period surrounding the 1965 Freedom March from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, which resulted in President Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act. The above trailer focuses as much on the relationships between King and his wife, friends, and even the President, as much as it does the actual march itself.
In addition to what should be a breakout performance from Oyelowo, Selma features Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, Tim Roth, and Oprah.
