Luce (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Luce' (directed by Julius Onah & adapted from a play by J.C. Lee) is a turbulent, talky psychological drama that may confound you, make your head spin ... but also engrosses throughout. Adopted as an orphaned, 7 yr. old from worn-torn Eritrea in Africa, Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) has made his white, upper middle class parents, Amy & Peter (Naomi Watts, Tim Roth - who played very different characters in '07's horror flick, Funny Games), very proud. He's valedictorian, an articulate debater & all-star athlete at his Arlington, Virginia, high school. But when Luce's stern history teacher, Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer, brilliant) - who believes he is a symbol of black excellence that sets a positive example for his peers - questions his provocative essay about a revolutionary political figure and, subsequently, finds a bag of illegal fireworks in his locker, Luce's reputation is called into question. Could he be planning something nefarious at the school?
Parent-teacher meetings, monitored by the principal, raise questions about prejudice & racial identity. While the Edgars argue about how to cope with Ms. Wilson's accusations, there are other subplots at play. One involves Ms. Wilson's mentally ill sister, Rosemary (an excellent Marsha Stephanie Blake); Harriet drinks whiskey liberally as a salve to her problems at both work & home. A 2nd subplot includes Luce's friend DeShaun (Astro), who loses his scholarship because Ms. Wilson found marijuana in his locker; this angers Luce who comprehends that though he & DeShaun are black ... he is privileged because his parents are white. And a 3rd subplot concerns Luce's girlfriend, Stephanie Kim (Andrea Bang), who may or may not have been sexually assaulted at a party. What, if anything is Luce hiding? The truth proves to be more & more elusive. And only in the film's final shot do we get a significant hint of Luce's true constitution.
I'd heard amazing things about this film for months so, to say I had high expectations going in would be an understatement. My impression, at 1st blush: it's an exceedingly well-acted movie with bold ideas, but the twisty, talk-heavy script is sometimes too complex for its own good. I love that 'Luce' tackles issues of race, privilege, trust, identity, bias & the power of manipulation; all broached & attacked in inconclusive, yet provocative ways. This is a film where A LOT happens off screen that you must piece together as you go or in retrospect. There is power in that ... can also be a touch frustrating.
For instance, Stephanie's sexual ordeal at the party is not shown to us, only described, from her own murky point of view. To that, she says that Luce is her rescuer, but he easily could've been one of the abusers ... and we never know. Similarly, we never find out who put what in the school lockers that were shared by several students. Fireworks go off at one point ... and we never know for sure who did that. Ms. Harris' home is spray-painted with a racial slur ... and we never know for sure who did it. There are also many conversations that are held where past incidents or feelings are quickly addressed, but not thoroughly examined so that we know what is going on along with the characters.
So this film is a tricky one. I was absorbed in the story; on the edge of my seat with every gesture large & small. But the opaque nature of the plot can leave viewers adrift at sea ... especially when they HAD been engrossed throughout. Luce is a great character because while he IS a model citizen, he may not want that burden, and grapples with his identity. To that, Kelvin Harrison Jr. is excellent as this young man who might be caught in a series of misunderstandings … or may be dangerous. When he interacts with others, he speaks with a faux-caring tone that makes you question his sincerity.
Naomi Watts is superb as Amy, the adoptive mom who loves her son & decides to support him ... even while doubting his innocence every step of the way. Tim Roth is great as the husband who holds resentments against Amy, yet loves her enough to support their son no matter what. Andrea Bang entrances as the enigmatic Stephanie. Astro brought authenticity as DeShaun; he felt real, like someone you know in real life. Ditto that to Marsha Stephanie Blake's mentally ill Rosemary. And Octavia Spencer is masterful as Ms. Harris, a stern "b*tch" of a teacher who we come to find out has her own demons, flaws & heartrending humanity. All the performances are riveting. And while I have my issues with the way the narrative unfolds (and what is kept from us), I admire how this film makes us examine our prejudices, think how we view others, & how to react when expectations are not met.
Parent-teacher meetings, monitored by the principal, raise questions about prejudice & racial identity. While the Edgars argue about how to cope with Ms. Wilson's accusations, there are other subplots at play. One involves Ms. Wilson's mentally ill sister, Rosemary (an excellent Marsha Stephanie Blake); Harriet drinks whiskey liberally as a salve to her problems at both work & home. A 2nd subplot includes Luce's friend DeShaun (Astro), who loses his scholarship because Ms. Wilson found marijuana in his locker; this angers Luce who comprehends that though he & DeShaun are black ... he is privileged because his parents are white. And a 3rd subplot concerns Luce's girlfriend, Stephanie Kim (Andrea Bang), who may or may not have been sexually assaulted at a party. What, if anything is Luce hiding? The truth proves to be more & more elusive. And only in the film's final shot do we get a significant hint of Luce's true constitution.
I'd heard amazing things about this film for months so, to say I had high expectations going in would be an understatement. My impression, at 1st blush: it's an exceedingly well-acted movie with bold ideas, but the twisty, talk-heavy script is sometimes too complex for its own good. I love that 'Luce' tackles issues of race, privilege, trust, identity, bias & the power of manipulation; all broached & attacked in inconclusive, yet provocative ways. This is a film where A LOT happens off screen that you must piece together as you go or in retrospect. There is power in that ... can also be a touch frustrating.
For instance, Stephanie's sexual ordeal at the party is not shown to us, only described, from her own murky point of view. To that, she says that Luce is her rescuer, but he easily could've been one of the abusers ... and we never know. Similarly, we never find out who put what in the school lockers that were shared by several students. Fireworks go off at one point ... and we never know for sure who did that. Ms. Harris' home is spray-painted with a racial slur ... and we never know for sure who did it. There are also many conversations that are held where past incidents or feelings are quickly addressed, but not thoroughly examined so that we know what is going on along with the characters.
So this film is a tricky one. I was absorbed in the story; on the edge of my seat with every gesture large & small. But the opaque nature of the plot can leave viewers adrift at sea ... especially when they HAD been engrossed throughout. Luce is a great character because while he IS a model citizen, he may not want that burden, and grapples with his identity. To that, Kelvin Harrison Jr. is excellent as this young man who might be caught in a series of misunderstandings … or may be dangerous. When he interacts with others, he speaks with a faux-caring tone that makes you question his sincerity.
Naomi Watts is superb as Amy, the adoptive mom who loves her son & decides to support him ... even while doubting his innocence every step of the way. Tim Roth is great as the husband who holds resentments against Amy, yet loves her enough to support their son no matter what. Andrea Bang entrances as the enigmatic Stephanie. Astro brought authenticity as DeShaun; he felt real, like someone you know in real life. Ditto that to Marsha Stephanie Blake's mentally ill Rosemary. And Octavia Spencer is masterful as Ms. Harris, a stern "b*tch" of a teacher who we come to find out has her own demons, flaws & heartrending humanity. All the performances are riveting. And while I have my issues with the way the narrative unfolds (and what is kept from us), I admire how this film makes us examine our prejudices, think how we view others, & how to react when expectations are not met.