The High Cost of Living (2010)

The story of a young, pregnant woman whose world falls apart when she loses her child in a hit and run accident. As her life unravels,Nathalie finds an unlikely protector in Henry, a down ... See full summary »

Director:

Deborah Chow

Writers:

Joseane Brunelle (translation), Deborah Chow,

Stars:

Isabelle Blais, Zach Braff, Patrick Labbé

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Isabelle Blais	...	Nathalie
Zach Braff	...	Henry Welles
Patrick Labbé	...	Michel
Julian Lo	...	Johnny
Aimee Lee	...	Wai Lin (as Aimée Lee)
Pierre Gendron	...	Detective Lambert
Sean Lu	...	Kenny
Anick Lemay	...	Julie
Nicole Braber	...	Lille
Graham Cuthbertson	...	Ian
Mylene Savoie	...	Anna
Tony Robinow	...	Dr. Rosen
Joujou Turenne	...	Nurse 1
Kyle Switzer	...	Eli
Ian Finlay	...	Paul

Storyline

The story of a young, pregnant woman whose world falls apart when she loses her child in a hit and run accident. As her life unravels,Nathalie finds an unlikely protector in Henry, a down and out guardian angel who has followed her thread. But Henry is not quite the angel he seems...

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada

Language:

English French Cantonese

Release Date:

22 April 2011 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Le prix à payer

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Suki Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Henry Welles: Sometimes I wonder how I got to be this person. It's like, you have a version in your head of who you think you are. And then one day you realize, maybe you aren't that. Even though you think you're really kind, and good a heart... Really you're just the sum total of a bunch of bad decisions and stupid behavior.
Nathalie: Henry, you are one of the kindest people I know, and no amount of stupidity could change that.

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Connections

Featured in Conan: The Awkward Product Placement. Swiffer (2011)

User Reviews

A situational drama with quiet undertones, never fully realized

The High Cost of Living (2010)

There is something about this kind of slice-of-life movie with a major hook--in this case a car accident and an injury--that makes you want to watch. And here we have a rather realistic depiction of working class Montreal which is interesting as a backdrop, unromanticized.

The two leading characters, a Francophone Canadian and an Anglophone New Yorker transplanted to the city, are equally realistic. They find themselves needing, and helping, each other to get through the crisis. You grow gradually to like them just as they slowly learn to like each other, though whether a romance comes out of it is always in doubt.

But this isn't quite enough to sustain a full length movie. There is no significant secondary plot, there is no terrific surprise or second phase after the first problem gets resolves. Instead, the main problem (which I'm trying not to give away) is stretched to cover the whole extent and so it gets slow. Often.

It's interesting enough you stick with it, but you'll wish for me. I think it's probably true a different pair of leads--including the more famous Zach Braff--could energize or give depth to the role in a way that would fulfill us all better. And the situation they find themselves in is actually fascinating--a little dramatic and unlikely, yes, but leading to an inevitable climax. The relationship grows with delicacy but little emotional complexity.

Until the last scene, which is a beautiful way to bring it all to a close.