Whatever the expectations of getting older are supposed to be, members of the film industry – directors, actresses, actors, et. al. – tend to defy expectations. All of the following people are quite active. Meryl Streep is 76. Harrison Ford is 83. Al Pacino is 85. Kathy Bates is 77. Filmmaker Martin Scorsese will be 83 in December, and he’s working on some new movies, including acting in one of them and assisting with a documentary about his life and career. Writer-director Woody Allen will be 90 in November, and he has a novel coming out in September. Except for Ford, all are Academy Award winners. He is a nominee; however.
Enter Spike Lee and Denzel Washington. They should be considered the young turks regarding the above group of names. Lee turned 68 in March. Washington will be 71 in December. With Lee directing and Washington acting, the two men have collaborated on a film that speaks to youthful artistic vision and creativity. Their new movie, “Highest 2 Lowest,” is, early on, a tad hesitant, and at other times, wonderfully exhilarating. It’s an example of filmmaking both men might have made when they were much younger and unafraid to bend the rules; perhaps even break them.
After an almost secretive premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, “Highest 2 Lowest” is playing in a very limited release pattern across the United States, including in metro Buffalo-Niagara. It’s at the Amherst Theatre and The Capital, both owned by the Dipson’s chain. A24 and Apple TV+ are controlling distribution in a way that has puzzled some people in the motion picture industry, especially when you consider the value and importance of Lee and Washington being associated with the feature. They deserved more respectful treatment. Of course, the good news is that it’s available to watch in a theater before it dashes quickly to the streaming gates. And, you should watch it in a theater.
The movie is based on a 1963 police procedural titled “High And Low,” which is directed by the legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Collaborating with Lee and Washington is screenwriter Alan Fox. This is the sixth film that the director and star have made together. The three men clearly wanted to deliver a thriller that would unnerve audiences, and the techniques and results of Lee’s direction confirm that he didn’t want moviegoers to get too comfortable.
This isn’t any sort of directorial self-indulgence. Rather, it’s proof that Lee knows he’s a strong filmmaker and has earned the right to make the kind of movie he wants. In his heart and soul, Lee is a fervent New Yorker, and, like Allen and Scorsese, he understands and appreciates the at times beautiful and at times jangled rhythms of New York City.
The movie opens with brightness. New high-rise apartments in the Brooklyn neighborhood known as DUMBO (near the Brooklyn Bridge) sit gleaming in a washed-out sunrise. On the soundtrack is heard “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’” from the groundbreaking 1943 musical, “Oklahoma.” That’s correct, where the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye. Lee’s delight in the joke is readily apparent. Don’t accuse him of being stuck in a rut.
Washington plays David King, a talented businessman, who lives with his beloved wife and teenage son in a fabulous, art-filled Brooklyn penthouse overlooking the East River. It has a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline. They truly have the good life. However, their world is starting to fragment. King is an important figure in the music industry. He has the knack to know when a song is perfect and an artist has the chops necessary to go all the way. As with everything in life, times are changing. Because of how his company is structured, King is facing the sale of his business. This is not something he desires. He’ll make a lot of money, but he’d rather stay in his smartly-decorated office. He enjoys what he does. He has the perfect job and the perfect family.
The first half of “Highest 2 Lowest” is Lee’s unique and mostly interesting idea for setting up a story. It is occasionally a bit ragged, as well as being a tiny bit diffuse in its delivery. The second half is where the director wallops the audience. King’s adored son Trey (Aubrey Joseph), is kidnapped. It’s important to note that King has a chauffeur named Paul, who is acted by Jeffrey Wright. The chauffeur also has a son, who is named Kyle. I’m going to keep secret how the two sons are layered into the film’s second half. Kyle is played by actor Wright’s real-life son, Elijah. I will point out, his success aside, we recognize that music man King must keep earning his right to be respected due to his race. That is where Lee offers some of his vaunted and invaluable insights into politics and sociology.
Once the post-kidnapping section of the film gets rolling, its fierce energy and staccato jazz-like influences take control and “Highest To Lowest” becomes an exciting thriller with action to spare. Lee delivers a subway sequence that is riveting. Cheers to cinematographer Matthew Libatique for his contributions throughout the movie, but especially once the picture hits the very colorful, very active, and very mean streets of New York. Film editors Barry Alexander Brown and Allyson C. Johnson fully understand the power of the heat of the moment.
Washington is superb, as is the entire cast. There are a number of cameo appearances by recognizable actors and actresses, as well as sports figures. Howard Drossin’s original music is solid. Production values are exceptional. Familiar songs of different genres are flawless selections and used perfectly. The gangster world in both Kurosawa’s original and Lee’s work is multi-layered. Things are not always as they seem, and men and women are not always trustworthy. My favorite of Lee’s movies is the underrated “Bamboozled.” As with that picture, “Highest To Lowest” is also eclectic, occasionally dazzling, and always an accomplished work of art from an eager talent who never slows down. In fact, the importance of art in the lives of its characters is a wonderful sidebar in a film that should be seen.