Heights (2005)

Director:

Chris Terrio

Writers:

Amy Fox (play)
Amy Fox (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 December 2005 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Spanning twenty-four hours, Heights follows five New Yorkers challenged to choose their destiny before the sun comes up the next day.

Plot Keywords:

Boyfriend | Acting Lesson | Husband Wife Relationship | Shakespeare's Macbeth | Theater People

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Chandler Williams	...	Juilliard Macbeth
Bess Wohl	...	Juilliard Lady Macbeth
Glenn Close	...	Diana
Elizabeth Banks	...	Isabel
James Marsden	...	Jonathan
Jesse Bradford	...	Alec
Daniel Neiden	...	Wedding Rabbi
Thomas Lennon	...	Marshall
Matthew Davis	...	Mark (as Matt Davis)
John Light	...	Peter
Isabella Rossellini	...	Liz
Susan Malick	...	Rachel
Rachel Siegel	...	Autograph Seeker
Katie Kreisler	...	Helen
Philip Tabor	...	Paul

MPAA:

Rated R for language, brief sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

USA:98 min (DVD version) | USA:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Bryant Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Merchant Ivory Productions

Trivia:

Mia Farrow was the original choice for Liz, but had to bow out, due to stage commitments.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film takes place in the winter or fall season and yet the Fringe Festival which Alec is doing is always in August in New York City.

Quotes:

[Her students use a gun instead of a dagger for Macbeth]
Diana Lee: Get a dagger, for Christ's sake! This is Shakespeare, it's not The Sopranos.

Movie Connections:

References All About Eve (1950)

Soundtrack:

Juan's Mambo

Do we ever want what we think we want?

Heights is, at its most basic, an exploration of desires. The characters around whom the movie revolves think they know, at the beginning, where they're headed, what will happen to them, what they want to happen to them. But as the movie progresses, their certainties are challenged and sometimes swept away entirely, and their carefully constructed lives begin to unravel.

Glenn Close is Diana, a brilliant 40-something Shakespearean actress and somewhat irresponsible mother. Her open marriage once seemed like a terrific idea--have your fun on the side, have a loving husband at home--but as her "loving husband" becomes more and more deeply involved with another woman, she begins to realize just how unfulfilling that philosophy is.

Diana's daughter is played by Elizabeth Banks, in a very Scarlett Johanssen-esquire role. Isabel is a struggling photographer who makes ends meet by taking wedding pictures, while still trying to pursue a more serious career. Her second thoughts begin to appear when her upcoming wedding to Jonathan becomes an obstacle to a once-in-a-lifetime chance to use her talent. Jonathan himself has a past he's desperate to hide, potentially ruinous secrets he's working to keep from his wife-to-be.

The situations are strung together by the existence of a never-seen photographer named Benjamin Stone, who is scheduled for an exhibition in a few weeks. A man named Peter, who we are given to understand is Benjamin's current flame, is tracking down his previous models (and incidentally, lovers) to compile his memoirs. His work loosely ties in the rest of the characters, providing some structure to the interlocking plot lines.

This movie has the power and appeal that you generally find in beautiful films about unhappy people. No matter how happy or hopeful you find the ending, it's still a bit of a downer, because of the raw exposure of the characters. There are uncomfortable moments when we're privy to deep-seated emotions and unsettling situations, but there are also remarkably tender moments. The acting is generally understated and simple, with a few intense moments--your basic fare from a character study movie. But the adaptation from stage to screen, though apparent, is nearly seamless, and the text translates well to film.

Highly recommended to fans of Closer and similar movies.