Heights (2004)
Average Rating: 6.3/10
Reviews Counted: 101
Fresh: 65 | Rotten: 36
Yet another movie about relationships in the Big Apple, Heights is never dull thanks to a competent cast.
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 13
Yet another movie about relationships in the Big Apple, Heights is never dull thanks to a competent cast.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 5,384
My Rating
Movie Info
A handful of New Yorkers find their paths crossing in ways that force them to examine their lives in this contemporary drama produced by Ismail Merchant. Isabel (Elizabeth Banks) is a twentysomething photographer who is supposed to marry her boyfriend, Jonathan (James Marsden), in a month. But Isabel has found herself wondering if marriage is the right thing for her. Meanwhile, her mother, Diana (Glenn Close), a well-known film actress, has learned her husband has been seeing another woman, and
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Cast
-
Glenn Close
Diana Lee -
Elizabeth Banks
Isabel Lee -
James Marsden
Jonathan -
Jesse Bradford
Alec -
Eric Bogosian
Henry -
Matthew Davis
Mark -
Andrew Howard
Ian -
-
John Light
Peter -
Susan Malick
Rachel -
Michael Murphy
Jesse -
Denis O'Hare
Andrew -
-
George Segal
Rabbi Mendel -
Rufus Wainwright
Jeremy -
Daniel Neiden
Wedding Rabbi -
Jane Nichols
Guest 1 -
Cindy F. Adams
Herself -
Don Fitzgerald
Built Guy -
Jan Ellis
Hospital Receptionist -
Jonathan Walker
Michael -
Manny Siverio
Subway Mugger -
Bess Wohl
Juilliard Lady Macbeth -
Joel de la Fuente
Nat De Wolf -
Michael Goldstrom
SNL writer -
Rachel Siegel
Autograph Seeker -
Caroline Clay
Subway Woman -
Angel Desai
Laura -
Liza Colon-Zayas
Ana -
Winsome Brown
SNL Writer -
Katie Kreisler
Helen -
Jordi Vilasuso
Benjamin's Exes -
Jim Parsons
Oliver -
Chandler Williams
Juilliard Macbeth -
Regina McMahon
Amanda -
Phil Tabor
Paul -
Melanie R. Orr
Scorned Woman -
Meghan Glennon
Party Girl -
Steven Glenn
Guest 2 -
Alice Tan Ridley
Subway Singer -
Alexander Lange
Guest 3 -
Frank Shattuck
EMT -
D'Vorah Bailey
Police Officer -
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All Critics (111) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (38) | DVD (13)
If the plot is thin, at least the characters are interesting, and the performances are consistently strong.
Top CriticAmy Fox's play, with New York clichés for characters, was never going to hit, ahem, the movie heights. But cut loose in the middle of a comic-book summer, Heights is just different enough, just adult enough, to warrant a climb and a look.
None of it rings true, nor do precious affectations such as having one couple communicate with each other via walkie-talkies.
Terrio may use such accelerating devices as a handheld camera and split-screen editing, but his movie still feels as inert as the piano chords in Martin Erskine and Ben Butler's score.
Sufficiently enjoyable and intelligent to erase unpleasant memories of Merchant-Ivory's last foray into Manhattan ... it lacks the energy and vibrancy of the best films to come out of the city in the past few years.
It's duly considered, absolutely serious, self-consciously modern and, unfortunately, fairly dull.
Adapted play is too urbane and uncompelling.
Sony Pictures Classics thankfully has provided several decent extras.
An intelligent and perceptive film, neither unique nor earth-shattering, but still worthwhile.
This emotional jigsaw puzzle is cannily constructed.
Perhaps a bit self-satisfied in the manner in which it plays its self-involved characters off of one another, but there's enough meat on the bone to make it an enjoyable time.
Though car chases and explosions are kept to a bare minimum here, I daresay you won't be bored.
This 24-hour slice-of-life drama doesn't follow a standard narrative structure. If it holds wisdom, it's the wisdom of small moments.
Audience Reviews for Heights
Super Reviewer
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
[font=Century Gothic]"Heights" is a drama of intersecting characters but this sort of thing only works when you have strong characters to work with. Here you don't. Isabel who is the center of attention is mostly a blank slate. The movie as a whole is totally contrived beyond belief, especially the final revelation.(Yes, Manhattan is a small place but there are too many people to be able to randomly run into each other with any kind of ease.) Glenn Close who became a better actress when she learned the meaning of the word "nuance" a few years ago again gives a very good performance. But most of the other talented actors in this cast - Isabella Rossellini, George Segal, Eric Bogosian and Michael Murphy(where have you been?) are limited to cameo appearances. It is strange for a movie that photographs New York City with such loving care, to be so derisive towards photographers. Oh, and the occasional split-screen is definitely overkill.[/font]
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
Super Reviewer
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