HHUCIT’s [Rating:4.0]

HHUCIT – Common Ground Foundation and Indomina hosted a private screening of rapper Common’s debut movie LUV. After debuting at the Sundance film festival and receiving much praise, LUV premiered in Chicago. A portion of the proceeds went to the foundation’s youth programs. Chicago came out in full throttle to support the rapper/actor. Amongst those who attended were family, friends, fans and social activists from the community.

LUV is a gritty crime drama, which follows an 11- year old  boy named Woody and his uncle Vincent on a day of unexpected events. Starring Common and Michael Rainy Jr. alongside veterans Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Meagan Good, Lonette McKee and Michael K. Williams.

LUV is a story about misguided love. Uncle Vincent, an “ex-con” gets out of jail and tries to do the right thing. But when that doesn’t go as planned he reverts back to his former life. What started out as a day of showing young Woody how to handle business like a man, turned into an experience neither expected.

The premiere concluded with a panel discussion that was led by the rapper Common himself and other members of the Chicago community such as: Father Pfleger of St. Sabina, Derrick Dudley (Common’s Manager) and Kioko Hudson an inner city youth of Chicago. Everyone stuck around for the panel discussion. “Life imitating art” seemed to be the theme.

It was addressed that there is a lot of violence in the movie and extremely weighty content. But the subtext of the violence is that this is reality for so many.

“It’s real because there’s Woodys all over Chicago. Who are just looking for somebody to look up to, somebody to give them attention,” said Father Pfleger.

The rapper from Chicago has a promising future judging by his debut film project. The Chicago community benefited from the movie from an artistic standpoint and also got a chance to be educated by the panel discussion. The event was a surefire success. –Sharyon Ellis

Check out the movie trailer below: