Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts star in unnerving trailer for psychodrama Luce

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

After picking up the acclaimed psychodrama LUCE out of Sundance, NEON has dropped the first unsettling trailer for the movie that finds high school teacher Harriet (Octavia Spencer) engaging in some serious mental and emotional warfare with a star student, Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). The new movie from Julius Onah (THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX) seems to tackle a lot of weighty themes, all within the framework of a story about a role model student who might be harboring some darker secrets.

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Also starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, the movie debuted at Sundance to rave reviews, some calling it the perfect dramatic thriller for our age as it deals with themes about race, class and the expectations we put on each other. At the very least it looks like a taut, suspenseful drama that moves like a thriller that builds to a shocking finale. Everyone looks great here, and Harrison Jr. – who has proven a rising talent with movies like IT COMES AT NIGHT and MUDBOUND – could become a name to notice when this comes out.

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Here’s the synopsis:

An all-star high school athlete and accomplished debater, Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is a poster boy for the new American Dream. As are his parents (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth), who adopted him from a war-torn country a decade earlier. When Luce’s teacher (Octavia Spencer) makes a shocking discovery in his locker, Luce’s stellar reputation is called into question. But is he really at fault, or is Ms. Wilson preying on dangerous stereotypes? Stacked with amazing performances and adapted from JC Lee’s acclaimed play, director Julius Onah has created an intense, multi-layered and deeply entertaining look at identity in today’s America.

Written by Onah and J.C. Lee, LUCE is set to hit theaters on August 2.