Fascinating true story of “the richest coloured girl in the world” is given the biopic treatment in Sarah’s Oil, an engaging yet emotionally flat blend of faith-based film and historical drama that features solid performances by Zachary Levi and young Naya Desir-Johnson.
Sarah Rector isn’t a known name from the history of American industry for numerous reasons. An African American woman with Native American lineage, a 10-year-old Sarah in 1931 was allotted 160 acres of “unfarmable” land in North Oklahoma as part of the Dawes Allotment Act of 1887 in which land rights were given to Native Americans who accepted individual land grants. Where some sold their allotments, Sarah was convinced through her faith that oil was underneath her land, a conviction that turned into a reality and Sarah into a multimillionaire.
Sarah’s Oil portrays the events between inheritance and fortune, as young yet wise beyond her years Sarah (Naya Desir-Johnson) tries to stay one step ahead of corrupt oil companies trying to poach her land through devious means, as personified by the villainous Jim Devnan (Garrett Dillahunt.)
Sarah and her parents (Kenric Green and Sonqua Martin-Green) find an ally in the form of “wildcat” Bert (Zachary Levi) a nomad by way of Texas who knows all the dirty tricks of the oil business. The best scenes in Sarah’s Oil are those shared between Levi and Desir-Johnson, especially the moments when Sarah confronts Bert on his scoundrel nature and whether his pursuit for money is worth the cost of his soul.
Levi brings much needed charisma to the sterile Sarah’s Oil. Levi, after all, is a movie star in his prime unfairly ousted by Hollywood and their loss is the indie film industry’s gain. Desir-Johnson in turn provides a stern presence as the morally unflappable Sarah Rector, although the character's lack of grounded flaws does get tiresome.
Sarah’s Oil deals with a lot of topical subjects: race, greed, corruption, and land ownership. Director Cyrus Nowrasteh has dealt with heavy subjects in films before with The Stoning of Soraya M. and Infidel done so with unflinching gaze. Sarah’s Oil tries to have its cake and eat it too by containing its story in a soft PG faith-based friendly cushion. There is much to admire about the film – namely Sarah Rector’s story being told on the big screen – yet there is a lack of feel and emotional stakes in a film that should be bursting with it.
Yet those are the breaks when it comes to this type of filmmaking, with Sarah’s Oil a solid film albeit one that lacks impact.
