Luce (2019)
Stars: Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Runtime: 109 minutes
Synopsis: A married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student.
Performances: 4/5
Screenplay: 3/5
Editing: 3/5
Cinematography: 4/5
Score/Soundtrack: 3/5
Verdict: "Luce" has all the elements of a small gem with the potential of making big box office returns, and yet, it only grossed a little over 2 million dollars. Directed by Julius Onah, for who this is a major step in the right direction after the failure of "The Cloverfield Paradox", the film follows a prodigy student whose teacher is convinced that he's not the role model he's made out to be.
I really was invested in the story told. And that was mostly due to its characters being well fleshed-out. Is Luce in fact only perfect on the surface? Or is his teacher, played by Octavia Spencer, on a mission to destroy his career before it even begins? These questions are at the center of a film that at times feels like a psychological thriller as tension was not only present in its script, but also its cinematography and musical score, both of which were handled in a more than decent way.
My issue with "Luce", however, is that it never reaches its full potential. I enjoyed what I was offered, but also felt that it could've been presented in a much more effective manner. There's cheese and exposition, the dialogue wasn't always great, and the performances were not all stellar. The movie also struck me as one that wanted to keep the mystery alive, but I found the answers of the questions it tackled to be evident halfway through it.
I'd still call "Luce" one of this year's most overlooked films. It definitely deserves more attention than it got, and I hope more people give it a chance.
I really was invested in the story told. And that was mostly due to its characters being well fleshed-out. Is Luce in fact only perfect on the surface? Or is his teacher, played by Octavia Spencer, on a mission to destroy his career before it even begins? These questions are at the center of a film that at times feels like a psychological thriller as tension was not only present in its script, but also its cinematography and musical score, both of which were handled in a more than decent way.
My issue with "Luce", however, is that it never reaches its full potential. I enjoyed what I was offered, but also felt that it could've been presented in a much more effective manner. There's cheese and exposition, the dialogue wasn't always great, and the performances were not all stellar. The movie also struck me as one that wanted to keep the mystery alive, but I found the answers of the questions it tackled to be evident halfway through it.
I'd still call "Luce" one of this year's most overlooked films. It definitely deserves more attention than it got, and I hope more people give it a chance.
FINAL GRADE: 6/10
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