Amanda Seyfried has been an unconventional film presence throughout her career and sinks her everything into the controversial title subject of Mona Fastvold’s historical epic The Testament of Ann Lee (B+). The actress elevates her every screen sequence as a 16th century pioneer of The Shakers religion, from awakening to ascent to persecution and more. The film explores fascinating areas of faith, mysticism, sexuality, independence, modernity and grief in mighty measures. Like their collaboration on The Brutalist, Fastvold co-wrote the film with Brady Corbet, but this time she directs – and she is well suited to the material. It’s an oddity for sure, with full-fledged musical moments and peculiar twists and turns. William Rexer’s cinematography is solid, although the music is a bit repetitive and the narration sometimes cloying. Fastvold and Seyfried take their tale to the limits and inject tremendous kinetic energy into what could have been straightforward and staid. It’s not for every palette but it’s more risky and twisty than your average religious drama.