by Janet Sandford

Created on: March 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 29, 2009

Amazing Grace is an historical drama - depicting an ordinary Christian man doing exceptional things because of his beliefs - a man on a mission. Like Chariots of Fire and Shadowlands it balances faith with the art of film making.

For those who don't know the story of William Wilberforce - it goes like this..... At the age of twenty one in the late 18th century Wilberforce was elected to British Parliament. Some years later, he experienced something monumental that brought him back to his Christian faith - to the point where he was prepared to leave politics behind to fully devote his life to being a Man of the cloth,' as a clergyman or monk. The future Prime Minister and a close friend from college days, William Pitt, tries to convince him to stay on in Parliament because of his natural and gifted way of speaking to an audience. As seen on several occasions on the floor of Westminster he is able to transfix people with his eloquence as an orator in several political debates. Was he to change the world or follow the Lord's path? Or could he possibly do both?

Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) is a man of principles and very early on in his career he makes it crystal clear that he is personally opposed to Britain's thriving slave trade, and several leading abolitionists of the era (Olaudah Equiano, Thomas Clarkson) do their best to gain his support. In the film, it is his close friend, John Newton (Albert Finney), an ex slave ship captain and the author of the soulful hymn, Amazing Grace (although I am not convinced about the authenticity of this) that finally convinces him to take up the cause for moral and spiritual reasons.

He is even labelled as a seditionist - which was a serious accusation at the time, with the newly established States of America, an imminent French Revolution and a loopy King George ruling England. All good reasons, according to Clarkson, to instigate change with a revolution.

It's enough to steer any crusader to sickness, as both Wilberforce's health and cause begin to deteriorate about the same time. We know the end of the story, but it's still compelling and intriguing to watch the famed abolitionist's uphill struggle to maintain his passion and enthusiasm, and see his vocation through to the end of slavery.

The screenplay which is written by Steven Knight certainly inherits the essence of the man's accomplishments. He doesn't hide Wilberforce's faith but he never makes it the central component either. This film seems honest and balanced, and the

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