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Keep the Lights On

Play trailer Poster for Keep the Lights On 2012 1h 43m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Substance abuse and emotional and physical distance threaten the relationship between a gay filmmaker (Thure Lindhardt) and his longtime lover (Zachary Booth).
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Keep the Lights On

Keep the Lights On

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Critics Consensus

Keep the Lights On is a mysterious, sexy journey deep into the love affair of two men that always manages to stay true to life.

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Critics Reviews

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J. Hoberman ARTINFO.com 02/25/2019
The movie's elaborately failed closure only makes sense once you understand that the filmmaker's all-too-human desire for self-justification apparently trumped the ruthless self-control required to make a work of art. Go to Full Review
Nathan Lee Film Comment Magazine 08/22/2013
Keep the Lights On acknowledges (without belaboring) the performative nature of identity; how each of our claims to selfhood, be it sexual, romantic, or professional, are staged on a shifting terrain of habit, fantasy, and desire. Go to Full Review
Kimberley Jones Austin Chronicle 11/02/2012
3.5/5
There's a lot to like here, and if you're a traditionalist who hungers for a happy ending, you'll find it embedded in the opening credits. Go to Full Review
Jordan M. Smith IONCINEMA.com 11/16/2020
Keep the Lights On stands as a heart-wrenching arch, oozing with amiable authenticity in slices of life too often shied away from on screen. Go to Full Review
David Lamble Bay Area Reporter 06/09/2020
Writer/director Ira Sachs has wisely chosen to tell the nine-year affair from the point of view of the filmmaker... Go to Full Review
B. Ruby Rich Film Quarterly 02/28/2020
This gay domestic drama is a fascinating turn for Sachs. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jeff M 01/17/2024 When I found out that director/co-screenwriter Sachs based this shattering movie on his own life, I wasn't surprised at all. There is an air of authenticity throughout the entire production that would almost have to come from personal experience. It's one of the most effective movies I can think of in its depictions of both drug addiction and the disintegration of a relationship. It is refreshingly unflinching in both regards, and it doesn't fall into the trap of glamorizing drugs like many movies do. Lindhart's performance is the glue that holds the film together, and he is simply fantastic. It's often a minimal performance - he's often bottling a lot up inside - which makes the scenes in which he loses control that much more effective. It's awards-worthy work. And the film would most likely find a place on my ten-best list of its year. See more PridePosterStudios 09/20/2023 Unhappy, unhealthy, unrewarding. See more johann m 06/30/2021 🏳️‍🌈 A drama in which a Danish filmmaker, who lives in New York City to work on a documentary film, enters into a loving but complicated long-term relationship with a lawyer who struggles with drug addiction. A brutally honest and realistic depiction of what a couple can endure when substance abuse is a detrimental issue for a relationship. A sad and painful tale in which the main character conveys his emotions to express his frustration about the toxic relationship he just can't let go of. It's really devastating and heartbreaking to witness all he has to do for ten years trying to aid someone who can't be helped. See more 07/11/2020 The movie had good writing and acting, but for me it was a bit depressing. I guess these days, during the pandemic, I'd prefer more optimistic and uplifting movies. I think the critics got this one right, and the reviews on this site, including mine weren't as positive, partially due to the subject matter. See more 06/03/2019 6/3/2019 I've spun the wheel on that list of LGBT movies and my finger landed on this one. And boy, it did not disappoint. It sees the unexpected love affair of a filmmaker and a lawyer, with its peaks and valleys that spanned almost a decade. The characters were me at several points in my life. Idealistic, cynical, optimistic, untrusting, promiscuous. Erik, the main character, remains true to the man he unconditionally loves who unfortunately does not reciprocate the affection the way that it should be. The ultimate decision at the end was heart wrenching but the movie leaves its own breadcrumbs of possibilities. See more 10/03/2018 Very realible. It's not about a gay relationship, it's about love in all its shapes. See more Read all reviews
Keep the Lights On

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Substance abuse and emotional and physical distance threaten the relationship between a gay filmmaker (Thure Lindhardt) and his longtime lover (Zachary Booth).
Director
Ira Sachs
Producer
Lucas Joaquin, Marie Therese Guirgis, Ira Sachs
Screenwriter
Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias
Distributor
Music Box Films
Production Co
Alarum Pictures, Tiny Dancer Films, Parts and Labor, Post Factory Films, Film 50
Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 7, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 22, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$243.5K
Runtime
1h 43m
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