Movie Review: ‘The Testament Of Ann Lee’

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Review by James Lindorf

There aren’t many religions known more for their contributions to furniture making than theology. The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing is commonly known as the Shaking Quakers, or Shakers, because of their penchant for ecstatic movement and dancing during worship. Shakers were renowned for their high quality and minimalist design. Their furniture reflected their lifestyle, rejecting excessive ornament because it encouraged the sin of pride. This small sect of Christianity conducted the largest and most successful communal experiment in American history. At its peak, there were around 6,000 church members across more than a dozen communities, and today there are just three surviving members. Director Mona Fastvold became determined to make a film about the group after coming across a Shaker hymn while wrapping “The World to Come,” her 2020 period drama. After years of trying to convince studios, “The Testament of Ann Lee” will finally begin a limited theatrical run on December 25th.

Award-winning writer-director Mona Fastvold (The World to Come, The Brutalist) spans 18th-century England and America to bring the story of visionary spiritual leader Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried) to life. Haunted by personal tragedy, Ann is driven by an unshakable belief in gender equality, communal living, and ecstatic worship. Her devotion attracts followers who see her as the female embodiment of Jesus. Her quest to create a utopia is met with derision and persecution when their rapturous movements and insistence on celibacy upset the local populace. “The Testament of Ann Lee” features more than a dozen reimagined Shaker hymns and dancing, choreographed by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux), and original songs & score by Academy Award winner Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist). Seyfried is supported by an excellent cast that includes Lewis Pullman (Thunderbolts*) as William Lee, Ann’s brother, Thomasin McKenzie (JoJo Rabbit) as Mary Partington, and Tim Blake Nelson (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs) as Pastor Reuben Wright.

Testament has an obvious biblical connection, but another accepted definition is something that serves as a sign or evidence of a specified fact. “The Testament of Ann Lee” is clear evidence that Fastvoid is a talented filmmaker capable of bringing a complex vision to life. She was able to get Rowlson-Hall and Blumberg on the same page, along with cinematographer William Rexer and the costume and set design teams, to create a unique and cohesive film. However, she is also at least partially responsible for the film’s weakest portion, the screenplay she developed with frequent collaborator and partner Brady Corbet. The film is overly long and at times tedious, and the characters are as eccentric as the Shaker beliefs. It is already hard enough to take a religion that preaches extinction earnestly, but introducing things like diving rods with full chested belief makes the story laughable.

With Fastvoid’s guidance, everyone turns in a strong performance, but it is Seyfried who leads the pack both vocally and as an actor. The commitment from Seyfried to get down and dirty in an 18th-century British prison, as well as the unorthodox songs and dancing that border on self-flagellation, is more inspiring than the words that win over her followers. It lacks the fun of many of her previous roles, but her portrayal of Ann Lee is near the top of the best of Seyfried’s career.

“The Testament of Ann Lee” is a beautiful and technically excellent piece of filmmaking. Still, the bizarre characterizations, their rapid buy-in to the religion, and its rapid development left me cold. I can’t give the film more than a score of 3 out of 5.

Rating: R (Violence|Bloody Images|Sexual Content|Graphic Nudity)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama, Musical
Release Date (Limited Theatrical) December 25th, 2025
Runtime: 2h 17m
Director: Mona Fastvold
Producer: Andrew Morrison, Joshua Horsfield, Viktória Petrányi, Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Klaudia Śmieja, Lillian LaSalle, Mark Lampert
Screenwriter: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Production Co: Kaplan Morrison, ArtClass Flms, Proton Cinema, Intake Films, Curious Gremlin, Göta Film AB, Göteborg, Annapurna Pictures, Mizzel Media, Film i Väst, FirstGen Content, Mid March Media, 4 Little Monsters, Carte Blanche