Light It Up

1999 1h 39m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 41

DramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

On a winter day in a southside Queens high school, events collide and six students are suddenly in an armed standoff with the NYPD. At the school, classrooms freeze, teachers come and go, resources are scant.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Usher
Lester Dewitt
Vanessa Williams
Audrey McDonald
Forest Whitaker
Officer Dante Jackson
Rosario Dawson
Stephanie Williams
Robert Ri'chard
Zacharias 'Ziggy' Malone
Judd Nelson
Ken Knowles
Fredro Starr
Rodney J. Templeton
Sara Gilbert
Lynn Sabatini

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Craig Bolotin
Writers: Craig Bolotin
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 46% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

27 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Craig Bolotin, shot by Elliot Davis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Wendy Greene Bricmont shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Usher and Vanessa Williams and Forest Whitaker carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0172726 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Craig Bolotin directs. Elliot Davis behind the camera. Harry Gregson-Williams scores. Wendy Greene Bricmont cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 46% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
227 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Craig Bolotin, shot by Elliot Davis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Wendy Greene Bricmont shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Usher and Vanessa Williams and Forest Whitaker carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0172726 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 41 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.