Short Film Review: "LiME" Is A Dose Of Uplifting Sweetness
LiME is the film debut of writer/director Donta Storey, and it begs you to live in your truth, despite the bitterness of the world. Based on Storey’s own experience growing up in Compton as a non-binary youth, LiME successfully places the viewer into the headspace of its protagonist, resulting in an eye-opening and inspiring experience that shines bright with its sweet and positive messaging.
Set in the urban jungle of Compton, CA in the early ’00s, LiME tells the story of Deshawn, a young man who discovers how hard it is to live in his truth after experiencing the bitterness of the real world. He has a choice, to conform to societal norms, or....be the sweet amongst the sour.
If there’s anything that films have taught us over the decades, it’s that growing up in Compton can be rough — especially if you’re perceived as different. While that’s certainly a factor in Donta Storey’s uplifting debut short, LiME, it’s not the film’s modus operandi. Yes, Deshawn (played magnificently by Urian Ross) is directly impacted by the surrounding environment, but LiME is more so about Deshawn’s internal struggle than it is a simple humanity versus environment tale, which we’ve seen countless times before.
In many ways, LiME can be seen as a West Coast version of Barry Jenkins’ acclaimed Moonlight. Both films deal with the subject matter of sexuality pressed up against the urban atmosphere of the streets and show the importance of having a support system (or place of escape) against the oppression of the outside world. Like Moonlight’s Little/Chiron/Black, Deshawn’s ultimate struggle/conflict is internal, and both films are about their character’s transcendence of self and how they ultimately give themselves permission to be who they really are. Although, both go about achieving this in different ways.
To place the viewer within Deshawn’s perspective, Storey and Director of Photography/Assistant Director Christian Colwell take a handheld approach, with the exception of a few moments of motivated deviation. The decision to go handheld creates the kind of jittery nervousness of Deshawn’s inner-workings, mirroring his demeanor as he walks around the neighborhood on edge and always looking over his shoulder. The moments of deviation reflect another aspect of Deshawn, particularly the side of himself that’s comfortable with who he is, which manifests when he’s safe in his room. Storey and Colwell bathe these moments in yellow, blue, red, green, and purple hues (a nice subtle nod to the colors of the rainbow). Additionally, Storey uses the full framing of faces at integral moments to create a palpable pathos between the viewer and Deshawn and his situation. This also reinforces the film’s emphasis on the importance of having a support system, and it also gives the assault sequence a nice surrealist flourish.
The film is peppered with Compton touchtones, like Inglewood’s Randy’s Donuts and East Side’s Kelly Park, which appropriately set the stage for the story’s unfolding, and the film received lots of support from the community, who surrounded the set with love and support. The film’s title derives from Compton’s Lime Ave, which is the actual street Storey grew up on, but it also relates to a clever metaphor regarding citrus fruit that’s central to the film’s philosophy. Storey reinforces this by filling the frame with limes at every opportunity. Further adding to the overall experience is Thomas Jones’ touching original score, which plays to the film’s emotions in the right kinda ways. A lot of credit is owed to actor Urian Ross for his performance, which is both visceral and touching, making it possible for even an outsider to understand what it’s like to truly walk in Deshawn’s shoes.
Amidst these dark and troubling times, LiME reminds us that things can get better. Its story is specific, but it has a universal reach. By reminding us all that a lot of our transcendence resides in ourselves but can’t be undertaken alone, LiME champions both self and those around us who stand firm like pillars when our internal state may be crumbling — and its highly successful in its execution. It urges us all to be the sweet amongst the sour, and it’s likely to lift you up while it communicates its important message.
Recommendation: You should definitely give LiME a watch! You can catch the film when it releases on March 31, 2020, via Amazon Prime Video and Retrospectiveofjupiter.com.
Rating: 4 cheers of joy outta 5.
Interested in learning more?! Check out the links below:
LiME interview
Dooley Does Murder review
Dooley Does Murder interview
Podcast with Dawn Storey about Dooley Does Murder
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!