Luv

Not that it would be useful information generally, but this kept me interested from beginning to end. I doubt that a big financial return was a factor in signing up the cast, it was probably a joy to have the chance to be in something like this. It made me think about how the kind of life on view perpetuates. I can see something like this going into the mix that shapes how I act and react. If there's a gun control group that screens or recommends films, this one would be on their list; a gun rights group, probably not. There are special features available here which highlight the respect the main players have for one another. Common and Michael Rainey Jr. are singled out in small separate pieces. I did not take the film as pure realism, still all hands brought the story vividly to life. Many including myself will be looking forward to future work from director Sheldon Candis, Michael and Common.

I want start out by saying that one of the things that I love about going to film festivals is that there are no trailers and you are really not sure what to expect when viewing a film. When it came to Luv, I was looking forward to seeing it because there was a lot of "star" power contributions involved. It made me realize that there are actors that are out there doing it for the money and then there are actors who are truly craftsmen, who do it for the art of performing. I am in awe of director Sheldon Candis for assembling such a powerhouse cast including Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Charles S. Dutton and Lonette McKee. The film illustrated the relationship between Woody (Michael Rainey Jr.) and his uncle Vincent (Common) and takes the audience through one day in their lives. The film does a formidable job in demonstrating that no matter what you do or how much you may want to change, the past always has a way of catching up with you. The last time that I saw Common acting in a film was when he played Scott McKnight opposite Queen Latifah in Just Wright. I have to say that over the course of time and in the many films that Common has been in, his acting skills are improving as he diversifies his roles. Also, I have to give him props because he got involved in this independent film, so he obviously loves acting (maybe more than singing). The director stated that these actors basically did the job for a buck and a turkey sandwich (smile). Michael Rainey Jr. was brilliant as the thirteen year old nephew enlisted in tagging along with his uncle through the realities of a hard life in an urban environment. The youngster quickly learns that sometimes you have to do unconventional things in order to make it through life and that relationships have a way of changing over time. Woody eventually changes from a shy, studious and reluctant kid into a self-assured, confident young adult. All the lessons that Woody learns are not pleasant ones, but are necessary for life in the streets of Baltimore (or anywhere else for that matter). I think that this film is definitely worth seeing and may even give some young adults a much needed reality check. I am giving this film a green light.

The star power in this film immediately captured my attention. Scene upon scene brought a new recognizable well established actor on screen, which is so atypical when viewing Indie films. The film LUV is a fictionalized account of actual events that occurred in the writer director Sheldon Candis' life as he spent time with his uncle. I was fortunate in that the viewing of this film was a film festival DIFF 2012 at which Mr. Candis was in attendance and could provide some insight into how the story evolved, and his adventures in casting. I was very impressed with the screen presence of Woody (Michael Rainey Jr.), who coincidentally was similar enough in appearance that he could have been a child Sheldon. Ninety-five percent of the story takes place in the span of one 'training day', where Woody accompanies his Uncle Vincent (Common) as he conducts a day of business. The first thing that struck me as odd was the upscale automobile that Vincent was driving, and I immediately took some leaps and bounds to conclusions, oh and I jumped too. My assumptions turned out to be correct as the day progresses it evident that the lessons that are imparted onto young Woody will inevitably lead to a loss of innocence. The story was relatable because although the setting is Baltimore which I have never visited, the harsh reality of a relative passing down their knowledge is not always a legitimate vocation or trade. I was not surprised at how quickly Woody caught on to what was happening with Vincent's encounters, in some cases his realization was slightly out of sync with mine. My hoping that no harm would come to young Woody kept the level of intensity in this film high, because I knew how easily situation after situation could have gone wrong. I was completely emotionally invested in this film from the moment that Woody and Vincent began their day together. As more and more of Vincent's past became apparent so did the fact that Woody should be nowhere in the vicinity of this guy. There could have been a bit more character development for the roles played by Charles Dutton (Cofield), Danny Glover(Arthur), and Dennis Haysbert(Fish) and the ladies in the film Lonette McGee (Grandma Beanie)and Meagan Goode were little more than just fleeting images, but this was a good film none the less. I am in love with LUV and give it a green light.

For a crime drama Luv isn't a bad movie, it's not a masterpiece but it's worth watching once. The relationship between the young Woody (played by Michael Rainey Jr.) and his ex-con uncle Vincent (played by Common) is interesting to watch, as the uncle shows the kid how you supposed to act as a man in the real world. The real world in his eyes, because his world is just gangster hustling even though he tries to get out of it. I thought the young Michael Rainey Jr. did a good job with his performance. For such a young kid he clearly has a good future in the acting business. The story itself is easy to watch. I would have used another soundtrack though to make it more appealing. To me that was the weak point of the movie. All in all it's worth a watch but don't expect to be blown away.

Artfully directed by Sheldon Candis," LUV" is a compelling, low-budget tale of Vincent, a recently released convict who takes his young nephew, Woody, on a day-long excursion through Baltimore to give him lessons on how to survive in the urban jungle that is his home (Woody's mother lives in North Carolina while his grandmother is currently raising him in Maryland). This includes, among other things, teaching him how to drive and how to shoot a gun. But the main focus is on Vincent's attempts to go straight and to secure a loan for a restaurant he wants to open. But the young man soon discovers that it isn't all that easy to cut the ties with one's criminal past, and Woody bears witness to some pretty horrendous events throughout the course of the day.

Taken as a whole, "LUV" is considerably less than the sum of its parts. The screenplay by Candis feels strangely doughy and underdeveloped, often leaving us bewildered as to what exactly Vincent is up to and who it is he's interacting with at any given moment. That being said, "LUV" manages to hold our interest due to the immediacy of its style and the naturalism of its performances. Common makes us care about Vincent; we see him as an ambitious young man who, despite his natural inclination towards crime - an inclination obviously resulting from the difficult circumstances in which he was raised - appears to be genuinely trying to turn his life around. That the world and his past seem to be conspiring against him is what makes the tale so poignant. Vincent may not be the perfect role model for his young nephew, but he is probably the best the boy is going to have for the foreseeable future.

But it is young Michael Rainey, Jr., in a star-making performance as Woody, who walks off with the film. Even at the tender young age of eleven, Rainey is already a natural in front of the camera and it is his wholly believable reactions to what is taking place around him that strike a responsive chord in the viewer. Indeed, we are willing to go on this structurally awkward and artistically uneven journey simply for the privilege of reveling in his performance. Rainey, in essence, becomes the thread holding all these seemingly random and arbitrary events together. One looks forward to great things from him in the future.