Luce

      Co-written (with J.C. Lee) and directed by Julius Onah, this is a domestic drama that is smart, well acted and very unsettling. It stars Naomi Watts and Tim Roth as the adoptive parents of Luce (played by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a black teenager, they have raised since the age of seven when they rescued him from a war torn African nation.

       Luce is a star senior at his high school, excelling at track and on his way to be class valedictorian at his graduation. He is well liked by his teachers and classmates with the exception of Ms. Wilson (played by Octavia Spencer), his history teacher. When accusations begin and tension grows, the film veers into a very uncomfortable space. Credit Mr. Onah for creating an atmosphere that keeps the audience off balance and never quite sure who to believe as things escalate.

      Norbert Leo Butz co-stars as the school principal, torn between his obligations for his teacher and student alike. Andrea Bang and Brian Bradley also co-stars as significant classmates of Luce. The entire cast is excellent. Mr. Harrison Jr. in particular, as Luce, is a star in the making. 

       The film raises troubling questions and quickly escalates into a psychological war of words that teeters on the edge of potential violence. It's an intelligent drama that will have you thinking about it even after the credits roll.