Leaping for I Love Luci: My thoughts on the film

Since doing this blog I've been hugely lucky along the way to get some truly special gifts, such as from awesome Jamie and my photo from Sigma, and recently I got the dearest birthday card ever along with another very special gift....

I got to see Colin Kennedy's I Love Luci.

Then I started to write a review, no more factually, I wrote a review... and, because it sucked, I wrote it again... and then again and again. By this morning I counted and there were a dozen different drafts, all with different approaches different styles but nothing worked, really encapsulated what this film was about what it meant to me until I realized Luci is about a leap. So what I'm left with then still pretty much sucks, for surely it isn't a glowing polished review by any means, or a nifty blurb to quote and copy, but an entry where I write that to me this film represents all I've been doing here with this blog, what Sigma does each day, what FCG and the Scottish film industry does-and that is...keeping faith.

Oh I know, pretty hefty and dramatic words heh! but after watching this delightful short film again for the third time I realised Luci is not just a comedy, but more about having faith. For just as the main protagonist (wonderfully played throughout in top notch and lovely wistful fashion by Colin Harris, bravo!) prays in his faith, so too is this film about a leap of faith. For leaps of faith, acts of believing abound in I Love Luci: seen in the slice of life tale of rather hapless junkies in an less than glamourous side of Glasgow who not only lose some teeth a bike and a dog, but may find something more precious along the way; faith reflected by the performance of beautiful actress (Camilla Rutherford) who takes on unenviable task of performing sans teeth and lends much humor to the film; faith by leadership writing and directing that all his years of training and natural talent played out here for all the world to see are paying off with this offbeat, original, and fairly amusing story that explores the errm ins and outs of a less than beautiful life with sly wry and perceptive humor (and one flat laugh out loud scene involving a dapper dentist fellow) adding in some nifty cinematography (night shots in the garden area -I've forgotten the name eep-are quite good) and the fine contributions of a solid supporting cast (Sanjeev Kohli is hilarious and all round perfect timing/sequence in that store lolz!) and hard working crew and company who make these small gems for all of us to discover and enjoy, all for very little notice pay or glory. PHEW! That's a heck of leap for most films and filmmakers, and here I think it works, works very well indeed! I noticed I took that leap and am very glad I did. Luci is a fun adventure, both ugly at times and others truly beautiful, where the laughs are on the hapless two but not on us and remind us that love, no matter its form, can bring a smile to face if you let it.

Eh a whole lot of leaping and a lot of faith for a short 13 minute film yea yea I know, but having been allowed to follow along with Colin thru his blog on this journey, I know full well that making this film sure as heck was not an easy journey (same holds true it seems for all of Sigmas films years go into getting them made) It requires a great deal of faith to write a movie that involves some things probably too crass for some (one ewww but funny moment and a quibble but one less messy toilet shot would have still gotten the point across) but overall added to the storyline, accents which might be hard for some ears at first but are well overcome by the action and plot of the film (really I mean if this shows up with subtitles in the US that will be a horrible shame bleh), a comedy and adventure in romance of sorts which can be quite the tricky business to pull off well and aren't cringeworthy-there's dozens of reasons why it could go awry and yet and yet and yet-yet with a leap of faith here is this fine short film, one well worthy of the precedent set by Sigma, and one I honestly hope you might take the time go see.

Most of all, Luci is about heart, foibles follies faults and all, and like a well needed kick in the butt, it reminded me again that having heart and having faith matters. Just like the song at the end I suppose, you can have a laugh on me reading all this, but you know what? I have no shame in saying I love what and who I write about here, about the people who share their talent and time both on the screen and along the way personally and from my heart Colin Kennedy and Brian Coffey thank you so so very much for sharing this beautiful piece of your heart and talent with me.
Much much love always
xoxoxox

You can learn more about Luci here on the official website, older get your people blog, facebook and the trailer below.