HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
Starring: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Aubrey Joseph, Elijah Wright, Michael Potts, Frederick Weller, Dean Winters, LaChanze, John Douglas Thompson, and A$AP Rocky aka Rakim Mayers
Director: Spike Lee
NICK
It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a Spike Lee film as much as Highest 2 Lowest; that’s not a knock on the director’s filmography, but more of a testament to just how good this is. Lee is firing on all cylinders, infusing the film with music, culture, and a strong commentary on power and persona. The performances match as well, with Denzel Washington giving a dynamic lead performance, Jeffrey Wright being as steady as always, and even A$AP Rocky surprising. Lee even made the unconventional orchestral score somehow work. Apple needs to improve its marketing because this is one of the best films of the year so far.
AMARÚ
Highest 2 Lowest is an operatic New York City love letter headlined by two of our best living actors, Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright, who do what they do best. Where my uncertainty takes hold all comes down to director Spike Lee’s style. It’s big, powerful, musical, and Black as hell. But it also plays like a play, with outward performances keeping you at arms length, barring the audience from truly living inside the story. I like the film, and I’m there opening weekend for the next Spike Lee Joint, but I also know I often have to learn to like Spike’s swings.
ADRIANO
It may come as a shock to you, but there is a new Spike Lee Joint out right now… and in its first hour, Highest 2 Lowest worried me. The score was atrocious, the staging was terrible, and the editing was awkward. But once the plot’s set in motion, it’s very entertaining. Denzel Washington's magnetism (a shoutout is owed to A$AP Rocky), an engaging examination of the exploitation of wealth in the music industry, and Lee's direction, which kept me on my toes, all worked. This needed more time in the editing room, but it’s satisfying nevertheless.
Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick and Shak join Amarú to take A Bigger Bite out of Highest 2 Lowest HERE.