On Hulu right now, you can finally watch the movie that many viewers and critics were dismayed got shut out by Oscar.
The Testament of Ann Lee stars Amanda Seyfried as the titular founder of the Shaker religious movement during the 18th century.
Directed by Mona Fastvold (co-writer of The Brutalist), the movie is an impressive and impassioned epic that gives color to an unfairly obscured historical figure while blending multiple genres.
Despite the movie’s status as a major Oscar snub, it’s regarded by many as one of the best of 2025.
Watch With Us breaks down why you should watch The Testament of Ann Lee right now.
It’s a Enthralling and Ambitious Genre Mashup
The Testament of Ann Lee chronicles the life of Lee from her childhood through her death and the ultimate dissolution of the Shaker movement which she founded. Despite being a religious sect of the 18th century, Ann Lee founded the Shaker movement on principles heavily based in social and gender equality, and for that she developed a passionate following. Co-written by Fastvold and her husband, Brady Corbet (director of The Brutalist), the movie stunningly blends genres to create a historical biopic unlike any other.
The Testament of Ann Lee weaves folk horror and drama in a way that is often viscerally upsetting, but it’s paired alongside ravishing, rhythmic musical numbers inspired by original Shaker hymns written by Daniel Blumberg and choreographed by Celia Rowlson Hall. Somehow, this combination manages to work beautifully, and it allows the film to stand apart from standard biopics. Couching this ambitious blend of tones and genres is deft technical mastery, shot on gorgeous 35mm film with natural lighting. All of this comes together to create a visual and emotional portrait of religious ecstasy.
Amanda Seyfried Gives the Performance of Her Career
MCDTEOF_H4022 THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE, Amanda Seyfried, 2025. © Searchlight Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection © Searchlight Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
We all know that Seyfried can sing, as evidenced by her previous musical work in both Mamma Mia! films and in the feature adaptation of Les Misérables. But The Testament of Ann Lee puts those singing skills to the test alongside a high-intensity performance that Seyfried slides into effortlessly. Seyfried has quietly become a real auteur’s actress, working with directors like Atom Egoyan, David Lynch, Paul Schrader, Noah Baumbach and David Fincher. But Seyfried seems to find real artistic synergy alongside Fastvold, as the director guides her to a totally immersive performance.
Seyfried took on the challenge of portraying a character carrying immense grief following the death of her children, alongside a ferocious belief that she is truly the female incarnation of Christ. In addition to the emotional intensity of the role, so too was a physical intensity by way of the musical numbers, which force Seyfried to move her body in violent trembles that both replicate the dancing style of the Shakers while also conveying her character’s perception of being possessed by the divine. Her raw vocal performance helps to boost the haunting atmosphere of the film, and overall her portrayal is totally earnest in its evoking of religious conviction.
The Movie Spotlights a Trailblazing Pioneer
One of The Testament of Ann Lee’s greatest assets is its commitment to sincerity in its depiction of religious fanaticism. Instead of approaching the material with a cynicism or dismissal of these peoples’ beliefs (which includes an ardent commitment to celibacy), Fastvold and co. instead take to manifesting their beliefs as evocatively as possible, through the direction, tone, performances and musical numbers. The film immerses you in the world of the Shakers and in the perspective of Ann Lee, treating its subjects with respect and treating the Shakes’ ecstatic worship not as craziness, but as a genuine form of religious experience coupled with a deep sense of community belonging.
Amanda Seyfried shed her clothes for some rather explicit prosthetics to get into character in The Testament of Ann Lee. “This movie, it needed to be graphic,” Seyfried, 40, explained during a Wednesday, February 25, appearance on BBC Radio 2. “So, like, I had a prosthetic butthole. It was exciting.” She continued, “I was pregnant […]
What’s more, the film serves as a much-needed spotlight on a forgotten female figure of American history. Ann Lee was ultimately a crucial yet overlooked visionary who suffered greatly for her conviction to her movement (even if her ideas of a utopian society were based in frequently contradicting principles). She faced persecution and accusations of witchcraft and was repeatedly thrown in jail, yet her resolution in her ideas never wavered. Ann Lee was a deeply flawed figure, but The Testament of Ann Lee is determined to hold up her influence among the ranks of the many men we continue to remember instead.
