Light Up is an intimate documentary that focuses on the lives of five people in Atlanta—four Black gay men and one Black transgender woman. It’s a really personal look at their backstories and how they’ve dealt with prejudice and mental health struggles because they felt they had to hide who they truly were. The big thing they all share is that every person interviewed has found a way to push through those hard times. Now, they're all at a place where they feel totally comfortable being themselves and speaking their truth. The five people sharing their journeys are Simone Tisci, Derek Jae, Octavius Terry, Obio Jones, and Benjamin Carlton. Derek Jae is already pretty well-known from reality TV, while Simone Tisci is a successful makeup artist who is now working on breaking into acting. Then there’s Octavius Terry, who used to be a record-breaking track and field star. He actually cut his athletic career short because he was so scared his coaches and teammates would find out he was ...
The movie is fun on first viewing and OTT when you see it the second movie. This is one movie in which one single frame has a very good actor and the completely opposite of a really really bad actor. This is how the cast is spread out in the film.
Jimi is a medical school student who is gay and has a lover Jack and they live with Jack's obese, alcoholic, loose morals aunt Vanessa and her daughter Hannah. Jimi's family is visited by the Patel family from Delhi who bring their beautiful daughter Simran to England to find a husband. Jimi's parents and grandmother trick Jimi into marrying Simran and suddenly announce their engagement and wedding in 7 days. Jimi discovers the plot and is too spineless not to go along with it, a decision which enrages Jack and infuriates Vanessa. Hannah tells a 'little lie' to Simran (that she is Jimi's daughter) and the wedding is off. When Jimi's parents visit Jimi's house they discover the drunken Vanessa. Initially repulsed they ultimately decide to accept Vanessa as their daughter-in-law and decide to get the 2 of them married. Jimi is still too spineless to say anything. Jimi convinces the very reluctant Vanessa to go along with the idea and before long Vanessa is dressed in a sari, prepared for a wedding, and Jimi, terrified at what he is doing just to please his parents, includes Jack as his best man. At the wedding the truth comes out and to Jimi's surprise his family adapts to Jimi's true self and the day is saved by simply being truthful.
One very noticeable thing in the movie is the absolute lack of chemistry between Jimi and Jack. C'mmon you have ben living for 3 years and you dont even give a hug, forget kissing. Zero chemistry. Saeed Jaffrey as Jimi's father is excellent and so is Zohra Sehgal (as always) as grandmother but where did they get the mother from. She had no idea about acting and its very hard to put in words how bad her acting was. Vanessa's character was funny. Supposed to be a funny film, the comic moments in the film were very few and far between. Oh! And how suddenly everything just falls in place and family accepts their son being gay. Only if things were so easy. Give me a break.
Strictly one time watch. Dont even try for a second time. I did and can say from my personal experience. (4.5/10)
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