Keep the Lights On

Keep the Lights On tells the story of two men who meet through a casual encounter and then embark on a decade long journey that has them battling the confines of love, addition, betrayal and friendship.  In the end you can't help but be exhausted as both men vulnerably put their hearts on the line in an effort to fully understand the meaning behind their courtship.

Written and directed by Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On is a dramatized look at a very similar relationship that Ira had himself during the late 90s.  While there seems to be a bit of raw emotion and underlining hatred coming from one side of the relationship, Sachs is able to create a polarizing connection that many will see as detrimental long before the final break up.  Lead actors Thure Lindhardt and Zachary Booth share an unusual chemistry as you begin to feel for each as they tumble their way through the rigors of dating life.

Sachs opted to use a slightly grainy landscape that helps to personify the late 90s setting of the film, keeping colors drab and obsolete as a way of focusing in on the story at question. Every character serves a purpose as no shot is wasted, creating a solid film that feels as vulnerable as it does strong.