High Life (2009)

Director:

Gary Yates

Writers:

Lee MacDougall (play)
Lee MacDougall (written by)
(more)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

The perfect crime... the not so-perfect team

Plot:

Four hapless junkies plan to rob a bank.

Plot Keywords:

Junkie | Bank | Beating | Blood | Shootout

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Stephen Eric McIntyre	...	Bug
Timothy Olyphant	...	Dick
Joe Anderson	...	Donnie
Rossif Sutherland	...	Billy
Jon Ted Wynne	...	Strung Out Doctor
Steve Ratzlaff	...	Prison Guard
Mark McKinney	...	Jeremy
Ernesto Griffith	...	Ken
Kelly Wolfman	...	Lynn
Turk Scatliff	...	Jamie
Leigh Enns	...	Addict #1
Will Woytowich	...	Addict #2
Susan Kelso	...	Addict #3
Harry Nelken	...	Addict #4
Tracy Beemer	...	Nurse (as Tracy McMahon)
Ross McMillan	...	Black Manager
Mike Bell	...	Moondog
Brittany Scobie	...	Alma
Sarah Constible	...	Alex
Aaron Hughes	...	Auto Mechanic #1 - Lloyd
Erik Fjeldsted	...	Auto Mechanic #2
Doreen Brownstone	...	Cheesecake Woman
Joy Lazo	...	Woman in Store
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marjorie Roden	...	Knitter at meeting (uncredited)
Gordon Tanner	...	Addict #4 (uncredited)

Directed by
Gary Yates

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lee MacDougall		play
Lee MacDougall		written by
Gary Yates		writer

Produced by
Robin Cass	....	producer
Avi Federgreen	....	co-producer
Elizabeth Jarvis	....	co-producer (as Liz Jarvis)
Morris Ruskin	....	executive producer
Anna Stratton	....	executive producer
Gary Yates	....	producer

Original Music by
Jonathan Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Michael Marshall

Film Editing by
Jeff Warren

Casting by
Heidi Levitt

Production Design by
Deanne Rohde

Art Direction by
Larry Spittle

Set Decoration by
Owen Bird

Costume Design by
Maureen Petkau

Makeup Department
Amanda Kuryk	....	first assistant makeup artist
Jennifer Machnee	....	daily makeup artist
Doug Morrow	....	makeup department head
Brenda Rocchio	....	assistant hair stylist
Forest Sala	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Jan Dutton	....	post-production supervisor
Avi Federgreen	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Antoniuk	....	first assistant director
Richard Duffy	....	second assistant director
Markian Saray	....	third assistant director
Amanda Wowryk	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Gary Barringer	....	graphic artist
Lindsey Bart	....	set decoration buyer
Nick Burns	....	storyboard artist
Greg Gardner	....	graphic artist
Alexis Labra	....	set dresser
Robert K. Laurie	....	set dresser (as Robert Laurie)
Jeffrey Lesage	....	set dresser (as Jeff Lesage)
Robb Paraskevopoulos	....	leadman
Chris Roznowsky	....	assistant property master
Mark Stratton	....	property master
Khali Wenaus	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
David Caporale	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Capuano	....	consultant: Dolby Sound
Steph Carrier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sue Conley	....	dialogue editor
Erik Culp	....	foley recordist
John Elliot	....	foley assistant
Steve Hammond	....	foley artist
Leon Johnson	....	production sound mixer
Kirk Lynds	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stan Mak	....	boom operator
Joe Morrow	....	sound re-recording assistant
Robert Warchol	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Jimi Campbell	....	special effects assistant
Mark Gebel	....	special effects coordinator
Lawrence Van Went	....	special effects first assistant

Stunts
Lori MacKay	....	utility stunts
Garth Merkeley	....	stunt double
Chuck Robinson	....	stunt performer
Sam Robinson	....	stunt performer
Dan Skene	....	stunt performer
Rick Skene	....	stunt coordinator
Sean Skene	....	stunt coordinator
Dwayne Wiley	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Chow	....	camera operator
Gabriel Daniels	....	best boy grip
Terence Fuller	....	grip
Marlin Greyeyes	....	daily electrician
Casey Harrison	....	second assistant camera
Ronald Hodgson	....	lead electrician
Jonathan Kennedy	....	lamp operator
Lainie Knox	....	first assistant camera
Steve Madden	....	key grip
Aaron Mallin	....	second assistant camera: 'b' camera
Laurence Mardon	....	gaffer
Conor McGoey	....	daily grip
Jim McNulty	....	genny operator
Reil Munro	....	dolly grip
Ryan Roberts	....	second assistant camera
Chris Roy	....	grip
Rebecca Sandulak	....	gallery photographer
Ben Stouffer	....	best boy electric
Paul Suderman	....	camera operator: 'b' camera
Shauna Townley	....	first assistant camera: 'b' camera
Brian Tuesday	....	daily grip
Terry Wowchuk	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Sara Kay	....	casting: Toronto
Patricia Kress	....	extras casting assistant
Jenny Lewis	....	casting: Toronto
Lori Stefaniuk	....	background casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michelle Boulet	....	key costumer
Meg McMillan	....	daily costumer
Sandra Soke	....	costume assistant (as Sandy Soke)
Amy Sztulwark	....	assistant costume designer
Angela Wells	....	costume truck supervisor

Editorial Department
Louis Casado	....	color timer
Jim Fleming	....	digital film colorist
Will Hearn	....	on-line editor
Chris Mayo	....	on-line editor
Michelle Szemberg	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Banton-Jones	....	score mixer
Yuri Gorbachow	....	music editor
Michael Perlmutter	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
John Mysyk	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Lindsay Affleck	....	assistant production coordinator
Neal Baksh	....	location manager
Dave Brown	....	firearms safety coordinator
Denys Curle	....	craft service
Claude Forest	....	insurance broker
Andrew Gallinger	....	assistant location manager
Sara Holmes	....	post production accountant
Cathie Hutfluss	....	medical consultant
Ross Ikeda	....	production accountant consultant
Patricia Jagger	....	script supervisor
Michelle Angela King	....	production assistant
Alf Kollinger	....	stand-in
Judy Penner	....	first assistant accountant
Marguerite Pigott	....	story editor
RoseAnna Schick	....	unit publicist
Jayson Schimnowski	....	production assistant
Andrew Schulz	....	locations key
Hanna Tower	....	production coordinator
Brian Turley	....	production accountant
Matt Webber	....	stand-in
Dwayne Wiley	....	horse coordinator
Adam Wojtowicz	....	executive assistant
Ryan Wuckert	....	location scout

Thanks
Sam Eigen	....	special thanks
Brandon Paine	....	special thanks
Kevin Pollak	....	special thanks
Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy	....	thanks
Brian Sweet	....	special thanks
Jane Tattersall	....	special thanks
Keith Tomasek	....	special thanks
Paul Vella	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Triptych Media
• Buffalo Gal Pictures
• Equinoxe Films
• Pathway Films

Distributors

• Koch Media (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Phoenicia Pictures (2009) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• SBP (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Union Pictures (2009) (worldwide) (all media)

Special Effects

• Frantic Films (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Caldwell Jeffery  loop group
• Entertainment Partners Canada  payroll services (as EP Canada)
• Film Finances Canada  completion guarantor
• Frantic Films  opening titles
• Meals for Reels  catering
• Multimedia Risk Consultants and Insurance Brokers  insurance (as Multimedia Risk)
• Panavision  production equipment
• Rights Company, The  script clearances
• Tattersall Sound  re-recording services
• Tattersall Sound  sound editing
• Technicolor Creative Services  post-production
• William F. White International  production equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for drug use, pervasive language and some violence

Runtime:

Germany:80 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45824) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Triptych Media

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Billy is walking by the bank, a late-model Dodge Ram can be seen reflected in the window. The film is set in 1983.

Quotes:

Donnie:Please let me stay, Dick. Please. I can take care of myself. You go. You gotta get out of here!

Movie Connections:

References The Tenant (1976)

Soundtrack:

Roller

My 314th Review: One of the better crime comedies around

This is low down fun. It has a very well-scripted, plotted, and thought through feel to it and there really are worse ways to send your time.

It reminded us a lot of Australian cinema, where losers just keep on losing but just more and more outrageously, and it is a film that makes you laugh mostly 'cos it ain't you.

All the characters are exactly that, characters, and all of them are nicely done. Everything from the get go just works and the take on the 80s is pitch perfect - no Reaganomics and Wall Street here, this is 70s hangover time to perfection.

A fun little movie with heart, drugs, and great, great incompetence...