I'm Beginning to See the Light

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I'm Beginning to See the Light

Released May 2

1h 40m

Drama

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3 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Ezra, a once-famous trumpeter, now struggles to keep his career afloat, performing for scraps at the local small jazz club. After his family is killed in a horrific car crash, Ezra stumbles upon a lighthouse and is mistaken for the keeper by one of the workers. Drawn by the power of the lighthouse, he decides to stay, living as a recluse. Soon, however, he encounters a suicidal visitor, Sam, and finds solace in his presence, gaining the resolve to help the lost souls that stumble upon the lighthouse. As days pass, Ezra meets Hannah, a beautiful, enigmatic teacher who imbues his life with meaning and potential newfound happiness. But Sam, feeling excluded and threatened, becomes unreasonably jealous, leading to an inevitable clash that forces each character to confront their deepest selves, testing the limits of isolation and redemption in Ezra's secluded new world.

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Nell Minow

RogerEbert.com

A poetic, impressionistic meditation on life, death, love, art, and, yes, light, with excellent performances from the entire cast.

Rated: 3/4

May 2, 2025

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Jennifer Green

Common Sense Media

Strong acting keeps this somewhat meandering melodrama afloat.

May 7, 2025

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Bradley Gibson

Film Threat

Khudyakov steers clear of saccharine superficiality in favor of the dark complexity of loss. It’s a deeper experience, and just how far down it goes isn’t clear until the end.

Rated: 8/10

Dec 4, 2024

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Edvinas P

"I'm Beginning to See the Light," which is about the happiness of falling in love, has nothing to do with the well-known song of the same name. Instead, it is a film that starts with the devastating death of a loved one and then explores the survivor's agony in a surreal manner. However, the actual usage of light throughout the film—from the spotlight on Ezra (Jack Huston) during his performance at a small jazz club in the opening scene to the lighthouse where he stays after his wife and daughter are killed in an accident—does relate to the title. Being a well-known jazz trumpet player, Ezra has admirers but no financial backing. His wife (Jamie Chung as Sarah) and daughter (Athena Pia as Eloise) are grinning at him from the audience as he performs "Just One of Those Things," another American Songbook classic. Ezra pauses to sign some autographs, but Sarah is anxious to hurry home and put Eloise to bed. One admirer uses his finger to "sign" invisibly as he lacks a pen. The enormous poster featuring Ezra's face is being pulled down as they eventually depart. Sarah feels worn out and anxious. She informs Ezra that jazz is no longer popular. "There's nothing else I can do," he declares. A vehicle transporting a big Fresnel lens that is en route to a lighthouse then strikes them. The symbolism in this film would feel unforgivably overbearing if we were to take it literally. We can enter its universe, however, if we consider it a beautiful, impressionistic meditation on life, death, love, art, and yes, light, with superb performances from the whole ensemble. When Ezra finds out that his wife and daughter did not make it out alive, he is still in the hospital. Unlike many actors who use pages of language, Huston is a sensitive actor who can do more with his eyes. He is the focal point of the movie in every sense.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/06/25

Full Review

Dziga V

Just finished I’m Beginning to See the Light. It’s a quiet film, but it really gets under your skin. The story stays with you, and the music… gave me actual goosebumps. Walter Afanasieff seriously nailed it. It’s not your typical movie, but that’s what makes it special.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/04/25

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Sanjeev J

Subtle, soft and stunning!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

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Paul

A quiet masterpiece that stays with you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/06/25

Full Review

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Konstantin Khudyakov

Director

Jack Huston

Ezra

Abbie Cornish

Hannah

Brandon T. Jackson

Sam

Jamie Chung

Sarah

Lucy Punch

Sheryl

I'm Beginning to See the Light: Trailer 1

2:30

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Synopsis

Ezra, a once-famous trumpeter, now struggles to keep his career afloat, performing for scraps at the local small jazz club. After his family is killed in a horrific car crash, Ezra stumbles upon a lighthouse and is mistaken for the keeper by one of the workers. Drawn by the power of the lighthouse, he decides to stay, living as a recluse. Soon, however, he encounters a suicidal visitor, Sam, and finds solace in his presence, gaining the resolve to help the lost souls that stumble upon the lighthouse. As days pass, Ezra meets Hannah, a beautiful, enigmatic teacher who imbues his life with meaning and potential newfound happiness. But Sam, feeling excluded and threatened, becomes unreasonably jealous, leading to an inevitable clash that forces each character to confront their deepest selves, testing the limits of isolation and redemption in Ezra's secluded new world.

Director: Konstantin Khudyakov
Producer: Pavel Hoodyakov
Screenwriter: Mark Bacci, Konstantin Khudyakov
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Production Co: Calabasas Media
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2025
Runtime: 1h 40m

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