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 ...
This is one of the weirder movies I have seen in the recent times. It wont be right to say that the film was bad. It was just odd with a very confusing plot in which the characters were not developed enough to justify their actions in the movie.
Architect and restorer Rusty lives with his boyfriend in a hotel. When his boyfriend leaves town for work for a couple of days, he has a chance encounter with Denny in a convenient store and brings him back to his room. Very soon he realizes that Rusty is positive and crystal meth addict. He keeps pushing Rusty for money so that he can buy drugs. They both keep telling each other how much they like each other (they have been together barely few hours). Ultimately Rusty gives in but we can see that things are not working out between them. After a few physical sessions, their chemistry is fading. Rusty soon realizes that Denny cannot stop his drugs and hustling habits. He asks him to leave. Meanwhile his boyfriend comes back and sees everything. Rusty apologizes for everything saying Denny got him confused and made him realize how much Rusty actually loves his boyfriend and wants to spend his life with him.
This film was actally a waste of time. The only good thing about the film was the 2 good looking men and some steaming scenes between them. Apart from them, it is really hard to sit through the movie. I really did not understand what was the director's intention behind the film (show bad effects of drugs, love of life, HIV or what). The script is shallow and we know nothing is going to work out with a drug addled hustler and a successful architect long term. The emotional core doesn't really work, because we're smarter than the characters are acting.
Don't waste your time. Watch it only if there is nothing better to do. (3/10)
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