A dreamer's burden
Aside from the accidents of age, size and appearance, Oyelowo has studied King's gestures, not only his public manner — his dramatic use of his arms and hands — but his more private side, the weary yet determined quality he had in one-on-one interviews.
[...] it's a very good movie on a great subject, the events leading up to King's 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery and to the passing of the Voting Rights Act.
In the best sense, it's a movie about politics, specifically about how things get done, and much of the drama involves the maneuvering between King and President Lyndon Johnson, who has his own agenda and timetable and won't move unless pushed.
Director Ava DuVernay's handles the two-person scenes between King and Coretta impeccably, with a real feeling for the unstated communication between couples.
[...] a climactic scene, such as Johnson's "We shall overcome" speech before a joint session of Congress, is tossed away.
The marches and street demonstrations are conveyed with a respect for historical accuracy and a you-are-there sense of the dangers faced.