LUV

LUV is a 2012 crime drama film directed by Sheldon Candis. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. LUV was shot in and around Baltimore, Maryland, and had its Baltimore premiere at the Maryland Film Festival 2012. It was later released in theaters on January 18, 2013. The film has received mixed reviews from critics. Plot The film begins with Woody Watson (Michael Rainey Jr.) having a dream about himself and his mother in the woods, but then he wakes up. Woody lives with his grandmother (Lonette McKee) in the inner city of Baltimore and longs to be reunited with his mother, who is in rehab in North Carolina. His charismatic uncle Vincent (Common) has recently returned home after having served 12 years of a 20-year sentence. He is determined to straighten out his life by opening a high-end crab shack. When Vincent drops Woody off at school, he notices Woody becomes embarrassed when a girl looks at him, so Vincent decides to give the boy instruction in how to become a man. After the duo get Woody a tailored suit, they take a trip to see Cofield (Charles S. Dutton), Vincent's friend, old crime partner, and now owner of a crab shack, who tells Vincent his old crime boss, Mr. Fish (Dennis Haysbert), is looking for him. Vincent and Woody head to the bank to sign off on the loan Vincent needs to fulfill his dreams. Unfortunately, the bank officer tells him he needs another $22,000 to start his business. With no one to turn to but his former associates, including Mr. Fish and Mr. Fish's brother Arthur (Danny Glover), Vincent reluctantly agrees to do one more drug deal for Mr. Fish as a demonstration of loyalty to him.