Luce Movie Review

Luce is a mind bending thriller from director Julius Onah. I wasn’t so much on the edge of my seat as I was flat against my seat holding my breath. The twists and turns in this movie were outrageous. Onah built the pace at a painstakingly slow quiver, withholding information and dishing out false information left and right.

This is a performance movie, relying heavily on the actors to deliver minute details and misdirect the audience. The cast is outstanding and works together seamlessly. Amy (Naomi Watts) and Peter (Tim Roth) have an adopted son Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). Luce is from war-torn Eritrea and has been in extensive therapy to help him deal with the emotional turbulence of growing up amidst intense levels of violence. He’s navigating high school and is, from all outward appearances, the perfect kid. He’s a track star, a member of the debate team, and a straight A student. That is, until he has a run in with his teacher, Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer).

It is here where the subtlety kicks in. As you watch, you can see both sides. Luce is a star student and is fairly trustworthy. His parents want to believe him and be on his side. Harriet has a gut feeling about him that’s setting off alarm bells. Where is the truth? You’ll be searching for it throughout the whole movie. You’ll scour every glance, word, and action for some semblance or clue of who to believe. When the truth is finally revealed it feels like you’ve been smacked in the back of the head by someone when you were certain there was no one else in the room. It takes your breath away and leaves you feeling entirely discombobulated.

There are some racial undertones throughout the movie and we see how race plays out in a relationship wherein the parents’ experience in life does not mirror their child’s. This might be slightly problematic for some but it didn’t ruin the movie for me, it enhanced it. I thought it added to the complexity and provided a useful way to truly see how unconscious (and conscious) bias plays a part in everyday life.

Overall this movie was intense and suspenseful with a stellar cast and so many twists and turns you can’t possibly keep track of them all. I always advocate that Naomi Watts is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. She puts in another great performance here. It’s also worth mentioning that Kelvin Harrison Jr. gives a master class on how to be off-putting while simultaneously charming. It is worth the watch to see their performances. I’d highly recommend checking out Luce.

Film or Movie: Movie
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like suspense
2. You appreciate a well-crafted screenplay
3. You like a slow burn