Luv

source: LUV

What an odd coincidence having Luv recommended to me and finally getting around to seeing this urban, gang-related and crime-filled Baltimore drama with zero redeemable characters on the same day as the real-life Baltimore riots. Beyond that, I appreciated what the indie filmmakers were trying to create here, but it was difficult to watch due to the extreme number of horrible individuals we were, I guess, supposed to root for. Even our "hero," or the low budget, distant cousin of Denzel Washington's Det. Alonzo Harris from Training Day, was so despicable with every action he took, it was a tough sell. Basically, we follow this Uncle around as he complete unravels and shatters his nephew's life to the point of almost no return. In fact, if they made a sequel, the nephew, then grown up, would be the new hero/bad guy we'd hate. That all said, again, I appreciate the efforts here as, while wildly independent, it was competently made and had strong, secondary actors to at least elevate the film during their scenes. But, all-in-all, it's a downer and a sad fictional tale of hate, greed, revenge, bad influences and soulless characters unfortunately mimicking the harsh reality of today's riots.

I expected this film to be entirely different based off of the title cover and the description. It was really good. Common plays a father figure to Mikael Phiper(?). This movie does a good job at tackling complex issues in a tough economy. Especially if one only knows a jail lifestyle. The scenery was very interesting to look at, if you're not familiar with Baltimore. Fish and Danny Glover play old foes to Common's character. He wears an executive suit while driving a brand new Mercedes Benz. But they live in a slum house.. I kind of get the visual symbolism through it.Although it was a bit cheesy. The lengths he goes through to bond with his nephew while while battling Baltimore's banks and gangs are pretty interesting. It's worth a look.

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.

Common like man few crossed over from rap to acting. Only 2 finger full have shown that they have talent in the acting industry. Common is one of them. Luv is about an Ex-Con trying to start a buisness and getting rejected due to his past and other endevours. He carries around his Nephew as he tries not to break character after getting rejected over and over and over. the movie has some interesting turns. Its a drama movie. the movie has a grey, blue and sometimes neon yellow feel to it. Overall, solid film. Acting everything, the story and the ending the way it ended was perfect. You don't get any happy endings in this movie so if you are looking for a disney ending, don't watch. Verdict: This movie is common sense.

this is one of the better coming of age indies I have seen lately. it made me laugh and cry and afraid. Common is a powerhouse in the film, he's so commanding - not easy to do when acting opposite Dennis Haysbert (Mr. President/Snake Doctor himself). and the boy, oh this little boy, Mr. Michael Rainey Jr. I doubt we will see the last of this amazing young thespian. i highly recommend this film for a bitter taste of growing up in B-more. and of course we get to see cameo appearances by the great Charles S. Dutton - a strong advocate for Baltimore filming - as well as Danny Glover. popcornmoviemaiden.blogspot.com

Completely wasted talent. People call this an "indie" (nope). Save your time & skip this predictable trash.

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.

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.

Shopping at Target and I notice this movie. I thought my husband and I would be able to enjoy a good movie one Saturday night. Boy was I so wrong. The movie had a lot of components but never made all the connection. The movie look like it started in the middle, really no beginning. I think a little more time writing and putting the pieces together would have made it a good movie. It never really gave a good foundation into Vincent. They had a lot of good actors which was very surprising they signed up for something like this. I wish I could get my money back for the movie. I would not recommend this movie and would hope they writer much success in the future.