Heights (2005)

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

Director:

Chris Terrio

Writers:

Amy Fox (screenplay), Amy Fox (play)

Stars:

Elizabeth Banks, Glenn Close, James Marsden

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Young and attractive lawyer Jonathan is soon to be married to Isabel but then he meets young actor Alec and they fall in love. Isabel's mother, Diana, finds out the truth about Jonathan who now has to choose between Isabel and Alec, and his choice is ...

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Plot Keywords:

pantyhose | voyeurism | voyeur | female removes her clothes | girl in panties | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, brief sexuality and nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

The poem that Diana lovingly recites to Isabel when they are sitting on the steps near the end of the movie is from Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee," with Diana substituting "Isabel" for "Annabel." Eight lines are spoken from the poem, but not in order they were written: I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea: But we loved with a love that was more than love - I and my Annabel Lee. For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

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Goofs

When Alec is getting ready to come up to the building roof top to meet Jonathan, he grabbed a bottle of white wine with a golden colour seal. When Alec is on the roof top the bottle is of a red wine with a dark colour seal.

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Quotes

Jeremy: Benjamin can make you feel like you're the only man in the world when you're with him. That's what makes his work so good.
Peter: But you're never the only one.
Jeremy: Know what you should do? You should fuck them, and I mean that literally, fuck them all for revenge.
Peter: That's more Benjamin's style than mine.
Jeremy: What are you doing later? I'm going to a party at Diana Lee's house. You should come.
Peter: Diana Lee? You mean the actual Diana Lee? What time?
Jeremy: Ten o'clock. And if you're looking for other ways to get back at ...

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Crazy Credits

The producers with to thank The Staff at Blue Rock ...

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Connections

References Gothika (2003)

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Soundtracks

Angels (Thievery Corporation Remix)
Performed by Wax Poetic
Featuring Norah Jones
Written by Ilhan Ersahin (as Ersahin) / Jeanetty
Courtesy of Ultra Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Serendipity as Chamber Music

Often a film succeeds because of the story, or the writing, or the cast, or the direction. HEIGHTS succeeds brilliantly because of the combination of all of these elements in one of the finest films of the past few years. Beginning with the play and screenplay by Amy Fox, and as carefully and lovingly directed by Chris Terrio with a sterling cast, this film works its subtle magic of a story about serendipity and coincidences and how these alter our lives by accidental occurrences. Or are they accidental? Each of the well-drawn characters in this story is functioning at a level that involves the masks behind which we each hide our personal secrets or idiosyncrasies: each character is either at a 'height' or approaching one, and it is the interplay of these disparate people that creates phrases of music which ultimately combine in a series of themes and variations like a well-composed work of chamber music. And this all occurs within a twenty-four hour period in Manhattan.

Diana (Glenn Close) is the reigning New York actress currently preparing a production of 'Macbeth' with friend director Henry (Eric Bagosian) while simultaneously giving Master Classes at Julliard to a group of acting students who she declares lack passion! Diana's 'height' is challenged by her current anxiety over her open-marriage husband's rather serious affair with one of her students. She holds auditions and a young, struggling, and handsome actor Alec (Jesse Bradford) catches her interest and she sees in him the passion she craves and invites him to her party that evening. Alec, fearful of his chance at his 'height', hesitantly accepts.

Meanwhile Diana's photographer daughter Isabel (Elizabeth Banks) is fired from her portrait job only to be offered an important gig in Eastern Europe by an ex-lover, offering Isabel a chance at her own 'height'. Isabel is engaged to young ambitious lawyer Jonathan (James Marsden remembered for this superb acting in 'The 24th Day') who in preparing to marry a non-Jew is in counseling with his Rabbi (George Segal): there are obviously stresses on the incipient marriage that Jonathan has not revealed.

In another area of Manhattan, at Vanity Fair, Liz (Isabella Rosselini) taps reporter Peter (John Light) to do a story on a famous and gifted photographer known for bedding his nude male models. Peter is to interview each of the models for the story, and one of those models happens to be Jonathan! The entire group comes together at Diana's party and there the secrets of each of the characters gradually surface in coincidental ways and the story of how each of these interesting but tainted people respond to discoveries makes for the resolution of the story. Director Terrio uses finely honed techniques to slowly introduce each character, adding layers of information gradually, until the magnitude of these coincidences becomes dramatically tense and fascinating. This film is like standing in a darkroom watching a photograph slowly develop, revealing more of the details with each washing, until the final picture is filled with extraordinary details - some expected, others not. The cast is wholly superb and the degree of ensemble acting surpasses that of films of the recent past. If there is a criticism of the film it is a minor one: the ambient sound and musical scoring at times cover the dialog which make us strain to hear the whispered interchanges. But this is a brilliant film that immediately assumes a role in the pantheon of fine cinematic art. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

Details

Official Sites:

Merchant Ivory Productions [United States] Sony Pictures Classics [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Hebrew

Release Date:

15 July 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heights

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$52,885, 19 June 2005

Gross USA:

$1,160,817

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,306,281

Company Credits

Production Co:

Merchant Ivory Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1