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      Light It Up

      1999, Drama, 1h 39m

      49 Reviews 5,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      Soon into the student uprising, the story starts to feel like a warmed over after-school special. Read critic reviews

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      Light It Up  Photos

      Light It Up (1999) Light It Up (1999) Light It Up (1999) Light It Up (1999) (Left to right) ROBERT RI'CHARD, ROSARIO DAWSON, CLIFTON COLLINS JR., SARA GILBERT and USHER RAYMOND get their message out to the world. Police officer FOREST WHITAKER confronts USHER RAYMOND in the school hallway as ROBERT RI'CHARD looks on. VANESSA L. WILLIAMS plays a determined hostage negotiator. (Left to right) USHER RAYMOND, ROBERT RI'CHARD, and ROSARIO DAWSON observe the deplorable conditions in their battered inner-city school.

      Movie Info

      The topical story of a group of high school students who form a protest when they become fed up with their school's poor conditions. After a shot is accidentally fired and a police officer is wounded, the resulting stand-off results in a media frenzy that pits the dirt-digging media against the well-intentioned students.

      • Rating: R (Violent Content|Language)

      • Genre: Drama

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Craig Bolotin

      • Writer: Craig Bolotin

      • Release Date (Theaters):  wide

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $5.9M

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: 20th Century Fox

      • Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures, Edmonds Entertainment

      • Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo

      • Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

      Cast & Crew

      Usher
      Forest Whitaker
      Rosario Dawson
      Robert Ri'chard
      Judd Nelson
      Fredro Starr
      Sara Gilbert
      Clifton Collins Jr.
      Glynn Turman
      Vic Polizos
      Vanessa Williams
      Tracey Edmonds
      David A. Starke
      Elliot Davis
      Lawrence G. Paull
      Tricia Schneider
      Karyn McCarthy
      Rick R. Johnson
      Jon C. Scheide

      Critic Reviews for Light It Up

      Audience Reviews for Light It Up

      • Jan 26, 2010

        Usher's "acting" ruined the whole thing for me

        Super Reviewer
      • Feb 19, 2007

        This is a solid drama about a group of inner city youths who want something more from the school and the system that runs it. The movie has a decent young cast in this. I was even impressed with the acting from Usher. Not the best but solid enough for me. The movie also has some good veteran actors in supporting roles like Forest Whitaker, Judd Nelson and Vanessa Williams. The story is interesting and the characters as well. I enjoyed it. Worth at least a one time watch. If you like movies such as Dangerous Minds or Stand and Deliver then check this one out.

        Super Reviewer

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