Selma (2014)
93%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
58 wins & 91 nominations total
Fueled by a gripping performance from David Oyelowo, Selma draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. — but doesn’t ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied.
Selma is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and feel all the emotions in between. It’s a historical drama that doesn’t feel like a history lesson, but rather a story about real people fighting for their rights. The acting is superb, especially from David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. The pacing may be a bit slow at times, but it’s worth it for the powerful moments that will leave you with a lump in your throat. Overall, Selma is a must-watch for anyone who wants to be moved and inspired.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited), Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Selma, Alabama, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language
Year of Release
2015
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1 Datasat Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 8m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 9, 2015 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 5, 2015
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Giovanni Ribisi, Alessandro Nivola, Cuba Gooding Jr., directed by Ava DuVernay, written by Paul Webb, history, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nijla Mu’min, Chris Stuckmann, Simon Weaving, Philippa Hawker, Roxana Hadadi, Alonso Duralde, Brian Eggert, Roger Friedman, Nick Levine, Richard Crouse, Nicole Ackman, Mike Massie, PG-13, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Martin Luther King Jr., suffrage, Selma to Montgomery, Voting Rights Act of 1965, discrimination, Alabama, President Lyndon Johnson, Coretta Scott King, Fred Gray, produced by Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
Worldwide gross: $66,787,908
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $83,369,232
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,106
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 9,091,519
US/Canada gross: $52,076,908
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $65,005,956
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 957
US/Canada opening weekend: $571,450
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $713,323
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,321
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $24,965,367
Production budget ranking: 1,250
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $13,443,850
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $44,960,015
ROI to date (est.): 117%
ROI ranking: 869
Tom Wilkinson – President Lyndon Baines Johnson
Carmen Ejogo – Coretta Scott King
Giovanni Ribisi – Lee White
Alessandro Nivola – John Doar
Cuba Gooding Jr. – Fred Gray
Director(s)
Ava DuVernay
Writer(s)
Paul Webb
Producer(s)
Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
58 wins & 91 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Original Song Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (314) | Top Critics (89) | Fresh (310) | Rotten (4)
One of the most effective, well-crafted historical biopics that I’ve ever seen… giving us a moment in history that feels immediately familiar to the moment we are currently living in.
January 22, 2021
Nijla Mu’min
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Excellent acting, very good directing, a good tight script — a little bit of pacing issues and… other characters are nowhere near as investing as Martin Luther King is.
October 5, 2018 | Rating: B+
Chris Stuckmann
ChrisStuckmann.com
TOP CRITIC
If you don’t mind the technical confusion it’s a gripping story, and a great credit to DuVernay and co-writer Paul Webb who were unable to use King’s original speeches for copyright reasons.
October 4, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
Simon Weaving
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Ava DuVernay’s Selma is a beautifully observed drama of public and private lives, of personal narratives and historic moments.
October 4, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Philippa Hawker
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Selma is an always-gripping, often-bruising film, with fantastic performances and a solidly written script that contextualizes King’s work in an effectively impactful way.
October 4, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Roxana Hadadi
Chesapeake Family Magazine
TOP CRITIC
I this movie has some of the most powerful moments I’ve seen I think all year.
October 4, 2018 | Rating: 9.2/10
Alonso Duralde
What the Flick?!
TOP CRITIC
The film makes us reflect on a time not too long ago when things were very different, and also forces us to consider how far we still have yet to go.
April 25, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
There’s a lump in your throat at the of “Selma,” a movie that wisely takes a a snapshot of King’s life from the moment he wins the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 through the Selma march in 1965.
June 20, 2021
Roger Friedman
Showbiz 411
The controversial story of America’s civil rights marches prickles with violence and emotion.
May 27, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Nick Levine
NME
A historical document, but so alive and timely, it is essential viewing almost fifty years after King’s assassination.
February 2, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Selma is the best kind of biopic (if you can even call it that).
January 30, 2021 | Rating: 9/10
Nicole Ackman
Next Best Picture
Wisely uses affective montages, orchestral music, tight pacing, and award-worthy acting to supplement the intense recreations of iconic undertakings.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
The unforgettable true story chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
David Oyelowo delivers a gripping performance as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma.
Ava-DuVernay.jpg
