Movie Review: Luce (2019)

Genre: Drama  

Director: Julius Onah  

Starring: Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tim Roth  

Running Time: 109 minutes  

Synopsis: Black high school student Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) was adopted as a child from war-torn Eritrea by his parents Amy and Peter (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth). He is now a model student, excelling in academics and athletics. Trouble starts brewing when his black teacher Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer) shares with Amy some concerns: Luce wrote an essay espousing violence, and Harriet found illegal fireworks in his locker. Amy and Peter disagree on how to confront Luce, who is also dealing with a buddy suspended from the track team and a girlfriend who may have been sexually assaulted.

What Works Well: The creeping all-is-not-well menace beneath an ideal middle class multi-racial suburban veneer energizes the adaptation of writer J.C. Lee's play. Four excellent performances feature actors exploring ambiguous realities, as Luce walks a fine line between perfect teenager and nefarious agenda, and teacher Harriet Wilson matches her student in navigating the grey zone between supporter, manipulator, and caregiver. Amy and Peter are parents caught in the middle, the sudden complexities in their adopted son's life exposing marriage fissures. Director Julius Onah succeeds in breaking out of any stage confines, while the sub-theme about the burden of striving for perfection within the black experience in America adds depth. 

What Does Not Work As Well: The plot tilts towards packing in too much drama and therefore trading in vagaries, leaving plenty of room for open-ended interpretations.

Key Quote:

Harriet: I can tell the difference between miscommunication and provocation.

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