High-Rise (2015)

Life for the residents of a tower block begins to run out of control.

Director:

Ben Wheatley

Writers:

Amy Jump, J.G. Ballard (novel)

Stars:

Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller

4 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hiddleston	...	Laing
Jeremy Irons	...	Royal
Sienna Miller	...	Charlotte
Luke Evans	...	Wilder
Elisabeth Moss	...	Helen
James Purefoy	...	Pangbourne
Keeley Hawes	...	Ann
Peter Ferdinando	...	Cosgrove
Sienna Guillory	...	Jane
Reece Shearsmith	...	Steele
Enzo Cilenti	...	Talbot
Augustus Prew	...	Munrow
Dan Renton Skinner	...	Simmons (as Dan Skinner)
Stacy Martin	...	Fay
Tony Way	...	Robert the Caretaker

Storyline

Class struggle becomes all too real as a young doctor moves into a modern apartment block in suburban 1975 London. Drugs, drink & debauchery dissolve into murder, mayhem and misogyny in this pseudo-post-apocalyptic breakdown of societal norms.

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Plot Keywords:

sex standing up | high rise apartment building | male frontal nudity | male rear nudity | debauchery | 

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Taglines:

Welcome to the high life...

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, strong sexual content/graphic nudity, language and some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK Belgium Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 April 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

High Rise

Filming Locations:

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$79,887, 15 May 2016, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$343,139, 29 July 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

HanWay Films, Film4, British Film Institute (BFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White (super8 footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In early 2009, Vincenzo Natali was attached to write and direct this movie. In late 2010, he was joined by Richard Stanley, who helped him writing a new draft of the script which Natali was very happy with, but in the end was not produced.

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Goofs

When Royal descends to the lower floors, he is seen with and without his blood stained jacket.

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Quotes

Richard Wilder: Doesn't it seem odd, Laing? That a man can fall from the thirty-ninth floor, and not one police car turn up? Where's the investigation, Laing? I mean, where's the sirens? Laing!

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Connections

References Julius Caesar (1970)

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Soundtracks

Bunessan (Morning Has Broken)
Traditional
Arranged by Clint Mansell
Performed by Clint Mansell

User Reviews

Style, performances, cinematography, and observations.

There is some intense hatred for High-Rise, which I think comes from people expecting something very different to what they found. So I'm going to try and tell you what to expect without any spoilers.

A lot of people will find this movie hard to relate to because it has anti-heroes and is driven by concept rather than character - its pacing is guided more by the ideas it wishes you to consider than the emotions it wants you to experience. Another swathe of viewers will be put off because it offends their politics, and sociology and politics are at the core of this movie. Ballard made some observations about human nature, the which Jump and Wheatley relate to the politics of their own generation. The majority of High-Rise's observations are pessimistic to say the least; those overly sensitive to the observations' bleakness, or who can't relate to their context may not find much here.

But if you can immerse yourself into the film's style, enjoy the outstanding performances and cinematography, and enjoy decrypting J.G.Ballard's metaphors through Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump's lens, there is a lot here for you.

My only gripes are 1) that it didn't show at any cinemas within a reasonable distance from me, and 2) having Abba stuck in my head (although vastly reinvented versions appear in the movie, it is the original song which burrows into my ear like a parasitic worm).