Many films tell the story of the gangster lifestyle by exploring the seductive rise to power, the brutality of crime, and entrapment in the underground world, such as The Godfather (1972), Boyz n the Hood (1991), or The Irishman (2019). Some stories may even portray those going down a bad path experiencing a complete transformation like in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) or The Godfather III (1990). Produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, along with writer, producer, and director, Yelena Popovic (Man of God), Moses the Black is such a story that mingles gangs with faith and the possibility of redemption. It expresses the subtlety of grace to move hearts from vice to virtue—a timeless tale that spans human existence.
Popovic wanted to find a way to tell the story of Saint Moses the Black (Chukwudi Iwuji), a fourth century Ethiopian ascetic and desert father, for an audience today. She said he is the saint of repentance, “and we need that nowadays and he can be a great role model.” She contrasts Saint Moses, venerated in the Orthodox Church, who in his earlier life was a gangster, robber, and murderer, with Malik (Omar Epps), a present-day gang leader who was released from prison, only to avenge the murder of his friend. The film flips between scenes from fourth century Ethiopia and twenty-first century Southside Chicago.
Malik grew up as the son of a preacher. His father chastised him when he ended up in prison for dealing drugs in school and so Malik never set foot in church again. Lacking any faith in life after death, Malik and his crew (starring Wiz Khalifa), live only for this life and believe they must enact their kind of vengeance while ignoring the warnings about divine vengeance. Throughout the film, Malik hears and repeats what Jesus tells Peter when he strikes with his sword in the Garden of Gethsemane: “He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword” (Mt 26:52). It pricks his conscience. His church-going friend (Corey Hendrix) questions him about reading the Bible and prayer. Malik, caught up in revenge with a rival gang leader (Quavo), dismisses him. Yet even in the darkest corners of the heart grace shines forth.
There are numerous sacramental moments in the film that otherwise exudes violence, crude language, and every kind of vice. This is what makes it especially intriguing for a faith audience. Malik was raised by his grandmother. When he goes to her house for a meal, she apologizes saying she didn’t do enough to raise him right. His lifestyle pains her. She hands him a holy card, an icon of Saint Moses the Black, and tells him she is praying for him that she will one day see him in heaven. It’s a simple image, yet one that appears repeatedly in his life as a reminder that, “God’s grace is always there,” as Omar Epps explains. The sacred images, Scripture, the Church, and the presence of an Orthodox priest subtley reflect the ever-present reality of grace.
The contrast with Saint Moses the Black made the film feel timely, according to Epps, because Moses’ story is part of the human story and indicates that “the pathway to redemption is available [for all].” Chukwudi Iwuji, who plays Saint Moses in the film, says this story is, “simply about the potential of the human spirit when you open it up to hope…and understand you can be loved regardless of who you are.” Moses the Black understood this when he met some monks while trying to hide from the authorities after stealing some sheep. Their lifestyle influenced him so deeply that he gave up his criminal lifestyle to be baptized and join the monastic community, eventually becoming the abbot. The passage from the Gospel of Matthew (24:52), “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword,” influenced his transformation.
Living in a violent world, we can sometimes feel that grace is far away. Yet this story reminds us that God is more powerful than evil and grace can break through the hardest of hearts. No one is beyond God’s redemptive love. Christ came to save us from sin of self-absorption. When we let go, as did both Saint Moses the Black and Malik, we find new life, new hope, and a new love in Christ.
Moses the Black hits theaters through Fathom Events on January 30th. For more information, click here.