This month, the nation celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and no better way to applaud his achievements than a look into the inspirational life of MLKJ with ‘Selma.’

Based on the events of the civil rights march from the small Alabama town, Selma, to Montgomery, the movie follows the timeline of Martin Luther King Jr.(David Oyelowo) and his team advocating a push for voting rights for African-Americans in the South.

The film is lead and carried by Oyelowo’s phenomenal performance, one that leaves chills throughout the theater during multiple occasions, a performance worthy of an Oscar. Oyelowo completely disappears in the role, embodying everything King Jr. was as a person and as an inspirational figure. By the time the credits start rolling, you believe he was MLKJ. Every single actor and actress in the movie served a purpose and no one character stood out like a sore thumb, surprisingly not even Oprah.

The story was extremely captivating, one that gives an inside look behind the doors of the Oval Office. Scenes between MLKJ and President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), not only were interesting, but extremely intense as well. ‘Selma’ also delivered a great looking movie with a lot of symbolism and powerful shots directed by Ava DuVernay.

At times the film drags with slow story and lackluster dialogue, which makes it seem like a three hour college lecture. Despite that small flaw, the film still keeps your eyes glued to the screen.

With captivating performances from every actor and an interesting story, ‘Selma’ delivers a powerful story in a wonderfully directed film.

Final Verdict: 8.4/10