Heights

Decepcion and secrecy seems to be the root of the burden Jonathan is carrying in his troubled soul. During the course of a few hours he will have to face the truth about himself as his past comes back to haunt him in ways he didn't realize it would affect him.

Amy Fox has opened up her play by writing a wonderful screen treatment that Chris Terrio, the young and multi talented director presents for us with great panache. Ms. Fox created strong characters that come alive in the film. We are taken to some of Manhattan's rooftops and terraces to get a first rate account of people trying to deal with real problems. A point the film is trying to make is about how well do we know people close to us, even those we think we are in love with.

At the center of the movie is Elizabeth, who is living with Jonathan. They are planning to get married. Elizabeth is a talented photographer who is a free lancer. Jonathan is Jewish, but she is not; he wants her to go to see the Rabbi who is going to marry them. It's clear they are not at the same wave length, and not because they come from different religious backgrounds.

Diane, Elizabeth's mother, is a much admired actress in the New York stage. She has an eye for spotting handsome young men, as it's the case when she auditions Alec, a young actor that wants to be in a play she is going to direct. It's clear she likes him for other non acting role as well. Diane and her present husband are married for appearances sake, as we get to see him in action with another woman.

"Heights" makes an interesting point in showing how inter connected all these characters are and how a small, innocent incident, will unravel things as Elizabeth gets to see first hand how wrong she has been about the man she is going to marry.

Glenn Close, as Diana, makes an amazing appearance in the film. She is such an elegant performer that knows well what makes Diana act the way she does. She is not a diva, on the contrary, she seems to be a grounded woman whose love for her daughter is clear. Elizabeth Banks is wonderful as Diana's daughter, Isabel.

The surprise of the film came via George Segal, who as Rabbi Mendel, clearly sees what's troubling Jonathan. Mr. Segal is a welcome sight in the film after being absent so long. James Marsden, Jesse Bradford, Rufus Wainwright, Eric Bogosian, Michael Murphy and a lot of New York based stage actors are seen in minor, but effective roles.

This film clearly demonstrates the talent of Chris Terrio bringing all these actors together to do ensemble work. Mr. Terrio is lucky to be working with Jim Denault who has photographed the film with such an elegant style. Also the music by Ben Butler and Martin Erskine enhances the film.

This film begins with the Glenn Close character, a famous actress who could be Close herself, giving a master class in Shakespeare to a bunch of Juilliard acting students, in which she laments the lack of passion she sees in their performances and, more broadly, in the world she inhabits. Which is a fitting, and ironic, prologue for a movie that looks at the ennui of urban lives and the emotional earthquakes that disrupt them. This is a contemporary New York character-driven drama, but it reminds me of a 1970s movie -- in a good way. There are slightly retro split screens, long-lens conversations like mid-period Woody Allen movies, and a sense of lightness in the directing style that never becomes slickness. It's also refreshing to see an independent film that doesn't completely deteriorate in the third act -- it's almost become taboo to tell a story that is satisfying in the world of independent film, because it's seen as a concession to Hollywood. But this manages to do it in a convincing way without selling out to the forces of cheesiness or convention.

'Heights' takes an intimate look at urban lives in New York. The movie centres around four characters: a passionate actress, a photographer and her fiancée and a struggling actor who moonlights as a waiter. Each of these characters are lost and isolated in a crowded New York. Jonathan and Isabel are engaged and only days away from getting married but, while on the surface everything appears to be okay, their relationship is very dysfunctional. Diana is a respected actress who is liked by everyone but she too craves for intimacy that she hits on pretty much anyone. The hardworking Alec is obviously struggling to become an actor in a city of struggling artistes yet he manages to get through the day while being in a secret relationship. Amy Fox has done a fine job in the writing department. The film is based on her play and the subtle way in which she peels the layers of each character comes across very well on camera. The cinematography is superb as it captures the shots very photogenically. Terrio clearly knows how to select the right locations and to present them on screen. 'Heights' also highlights the marvelous performances of its four leads. I've never particularly thought of Glenn Close as hot but here she looks absolutely stunning. Her nuanced portrayal of Diana is a knockout. Elizabeth Banks is terrific as she downplays Isabel while James Marsden is outstanding as the troubled and conflicted Jonathan. Jesse Bradford is notable in a tricky role that is a surprise element to the story. 'Heights' may not be everybody's cup of tea but it is an absorbing human drama for those who are looking for something more than mere entertainment. It is a little slow in the beginning but as we know more about the characters, we feel more involved.

I truly enjoyed this film. I had heard so much about it online and from friends, so I finally watched it the other night. I was very impressed. It's so nice to see Glenn Close back in the limelight this past year. She is one of the best. Ms. Close was also the perfect actor to play the role of Diana Lee. She brought veracity, desperation, and charm to a character that may have otherwise been easily disliked. Desperation can be a truly likable quality in a film's character. Each one of the characters in this story had a quiet desperation about them. Desperation and denial. Key aspects of all human lives. I challenge anyone to tell me these were not realistic characters. The story itself or the situations they were put into, maybe not. You have a famed actress who has everything except a stable relationship with her husband, a struggling photo journalist slowly realizing her life isn't a perfect as it seems, a youthful lawyer seeking the perfect way to forget himself, and a young actor needing more than just a steady gig onstage. I highly recommend this film. You'll come away feeling something, and that is the most important thing.

Progressive relationships and theatricality figure in this contemporary character study set in Manhattan wherein four main characters that are at or approaching some "height", either professional or personal, interact in ways that threaten their dreams and ambitions.

Diana (Glenn Close) is a lover of Shakespeare who teaches theatre to students. Her daughter Isabel (Elizabeth Banks) is a photographer. Isabel is engaged to Jonathan (James Marsden) who has some well-kept secrets. A struggling young actor named Alec (Jesse Bradford) auditions for Diana; she learns that he lives in the same building as Isabel and Jonathan. Diana invites him to a party. Unplanned circumstances and the interrelationships of the various characters conspire to render assumptions not valid, which in turn forces everyone to alter their perceptions about themselves and others.

In lesser hands, this material could easily descend into melodramatic soap opera. But here, the technical execution is sufficiently high quality to avoid that pit.

The film's lighting and music create a mod, artistic look and feel. The film starts off in a lighthearted mood; the second half is darker, more somber.

There are some good photographic shots of Manhattan, both exterior (the Woolworth Building, for example), and interiors (the Cherry Lane Theater and offices of Vanity Fair). Some scenes take place on building rooftops, a visual reference to the story's internal theme.

You won't find anything especially new or original, insofar as concept or story. It's the quality of execution in writing, direction, acting, editing, cinematography, costumes, and production design that renders "Heights" a credible film, one that is easy to like and worth the time to watch.