It's been ten years since Amy and Peter Edgar (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth) adopted their son from war-torn Eritrea, and they thought the worst was behind them. Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) has become an all-star student beloved by his community in Arlington, Virginia. His African American teacher, Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer), believes he is a symbol of black excellence that sets a positive example for his peers. But when he is assigned to write an essay in the voice of a historical twentieth-century figure, Luce turns in a paper that makes an alarming statement about political violence. Worried about how this assignment reflects upon her star pupil, Harriet searches his locker and finds something that confirms her worst fears.

"One of the thorniest high-school films you’re likely to see, “Luce” is about simmering racial tensions in a suburb and how fake smiles can cause them to boil over." (New York Post)

"LUCE brings a stellar ensemble to bear on a satisfyingly complex story that addresses its timely themes in thought-provoking fashion." (Rotten Tomatoes)

"Thanks to a remarkably nuanced performance by Harrison and Onah and J.C. Lee's tightly-crafted script, the answers to our questions emerge either piecemeal or not at all." (Boston Globe)

"Julius Onah's lauded Sundance darling handles its hypotheticals of race and power with an emotional density that translates generously from its stage source, care of the film's playwright (and co-writer) J.C. Lee." (Globe and Mail)

Sunday, September 22
Doors 12:30 pm | Movie 1:00 pm
Advance tickets $10.50 | $12.50 at the door

*Minors permitted in the balcony. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service and main floor seating.
**Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK! Please redeem at the door.

LUCE (Julius Onah, 2019 / 14A / 109 mins) A liberal-minded couple, Amy and Peter Edgar, are forced to reconsider their image of their adopted son after they discover he has written an extremley disturbing essay for his class at school.