Hi-Life

I loved the fact that the producers of Hi-Life used real Upper West Side locations in this film, including the Hi-Life itself. It tugged at the heartstrings of this former UWS resident, now exiled to Atlanta. The movie itself was tolerable -- mainly because Peter Riegert was in it. Can't have enough Peter Riegert in a movie, as far as I'm concerned. The rest of the cast was amiable, if not very energetic. The story -- which could have been quite clever, with various folks chasing the same $900 for a variety of unethical reasons -- floundered in the face of lackadaisical pacing and cramped, dark cinematography.

Hi-Life is a complicated tale of friends and acquaintances trying to outwit and bamboozle each other over a gambling debt only a few are privy to. Each of the finely scripted characters gets drawn into the conspiracy for their own reasons, being deceived by the previous conspirator yet remaining unaware of the others. Taking place one evening in a nondescript New York neighborhood, it's the tale of ordinary people living mundane lives complicated by love, hate, ego, and chicanery, yet each are a charming mixture of goodness and banality much like every one of us. The complicated plot comes together at closing time in the Hi-Life Bar where all the characters meet and their deceptions are revealed. The script is witty, the acting is first rate, and one hates to see the story end.

Hi-life is a complicated tale of friends and acquaintances trying to outwit and bamboozle each other over a gambling debt only a few are privy to. Each of the finely scripted characters gets drawn into the conspiracy for their own reasons, being deceived by the previous conspirator yet remaining unaware of the others. Taking place one evening in a nondescript New York neighborhood, it's the tale of ordinary people living mundane lives complicated by love, hate, ego, and chicanery, yet each are a charming mixture of goodness and banality much like every one of us. The complicated plot comes together at closing time in the Hi-Life Bar where all the characters meet and their deceptions are revealed. The script is witty, the acting is first rate, and one hates to see the story end.

This has to be, to my knowledge, the only christmas/abortion comedy ever made. Featuring splendid performances by Charles Durning as a hen-pecked love lorn bar owner, Eric Stoltz as the self-absorbed actor, and Campbell Scott as the bitter ex of Daryl Hannah, this film continually surprised and delighted me. Filmed in New York City by John Thomas (of Whit Stillman and "Sex in the City" fame) the city has never looked crisper or more inviting. The plot is wacky- a subplot involving two wacky ambulance drivers is particularly silly- but also has a wandering tone that careers from touching to bizarre, in the way that all good independent films do. Featuring the angriest Jewish santa clause ever filmed, rousingly played by Dean Cameron of "Ski School" fame. Worth a look!

Hi-life is a quiet movie. It has a combination of good acting, a pleasing script, and its completely unpretentious.

A good comparison would be to "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman, and in some ways this is a sort of urban version.

The characterizations are wonderful. Ray the bartender seems a rather hard unyielding type, but as the movie progresses we find out he's anything but unsympathetic.

Peter Reigert has a wonderful character part as a barfly-come-debt-enforcer who dishes out advice on women that he doesn't follow.

Charles Durning has a great little role as "Fatty", and I couldn't leave off discussing acting without mentioning the late Katrin Cartlidge, who gives a lovely performance as a lush with a crush.

All in all, even if you don't care for quiet little movies, put this one on the tube at Christmas time.