Selma

Play trailer

2:25

Selma

PG-13

2015

2h 8m

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

310 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant in certain areas, making it very difficult for Blacks to register to vote. In 1965, an Alabama city became the battleground in the fight for suffrage. Despite violent opposition, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, and their efforts culminated with President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Fueled by a gripping performance from David Oyelowo, Selma draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- but doesn't ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied.

Read Critics Reviews

Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

10/05/2018

B+

Excellent acting, very good directing, a good tight script -- a little bit of pacing issues and... other characters are nowhere near as investing as Martin Luther King is.

Go to Full Review

Simon Weaving

Sydney Morning Herald

10/04/2018

3.5/5

If you don't mind the technical confusion it's a gripping story, and a great credit to DuVernay and co-writer Paul Webb who were unable to use King's original speeches for copyright reasons.

Go to Full Review

Philippa Hawker

Sydney Morning Herald

10/04/2018

4/5

Ava DuVernay's Selma is a beautifully observed drama of public and private lives, of personal narratives and historic moments.

Go to Full Review

Shane Hennessy

Film Ireland Magazine

Aug 12

For a movie released at a time when deadly racial tensions are still very much the topic of the day in America, its measured and sanguine execution becomes all the more timely.

Go to Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 28

5/5

"Selma," whose name echoes the history being told, is one of those films that gets history right, honors it, entertains you without sacrificing the real thing, and moves you to no end.

Go to Full Review

Brendan Cassidy

InSession Film

06/17/2024

David Oyelowo gives a star-making performance, and the supporting cast also helps create a multi-dimensional character film.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Helene T

01/15/2022

It is a very powerful movie but

See more

Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Feb 2

Amazing movie, acting, and story in this historical moment. You know have to love anything MLK! Only 4 starts because it’s slow at times but other than that super cool!

See more

Scott R

@ScottR Dec 22

NYT 1000 films. A moving tribute to Selma and the Civil Rights movement. MLK’s words are so powerful and true, I wish we could use his wisdom and follow his example better. It was good to learn about the history of what happened at Selma, but the pacing and some of the narratives confused and it could have been better. Regardless, this is a decent film. Saw on paramount.

See more

Tunde

Sep 1

Very powerful and moving. I learned some things I didn’t know.

See more

Ashton S

@Ashton74 Aug 6

Powerful insightful film!

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 May 27

2 hours and 8 minutes based on a true story!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Brief Strong Language, A Suggestive Moment, Disturbing Thematic Material and Violence!!!!!!!!! Featuring Oprah Winfrey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL, 2 f-words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Ava DuVernay

Director

David Oyelowo

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Tom Wilkinson

President Lyndon Baines Johnson

Carmen Ejogo

Coretta Scott King

Giovanni Ribisi

Lee White

Alessandro Nivola

John Doar

View more videos

The Best of Enemies

51%

77%

The Best of Enemies

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Best of Enemies

Son of God

17%

73%

Son of God

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Son of God

Lee Daniels' The Butler

72%

78%

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Watchlist

Copperhead

21%

45%

Copperhead

Watchlist

Walking With the Enemy

46%

59%

Walking With the Enemy

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The 21 Most Memorable Movie Moments of the Past 21 Years: Vote for the Best Now!

21 Most Memorable Movie Moments: Crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma (2014)

Melanie Lynskey’s Five Favorite Films

Selma: Trailer 1

2:25

The March Across Edmund Pettus Bridge from ‘Selma’ | Rotten Tomatoes’ 21 Most Memorable Moments

3:06

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant in certain areas, making it very difficult for Blacks to register to vote. In 1965, an Alabama city became the battleground in the fight for suffrage. Despite violent opposition, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, and their efforts culminated with President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Director: Ava DuVernay
Producer: Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
Screenwriter: Paul Webb
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Plan B Entertainment, Cloud Eight, Harpo Films
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|A Suggestive Moment|Disturbing Thematic Material|Violence)
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 9, 2015, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 2015
Release Date (Streaming): May 24, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $52.1M
Runtime: 2h 8m

Most Popular at Home Now