Hi-Life

Bizarrely funny comedy that keeps the viewers on their toes as a bevy of characters flit all over town chasing an illusive 900 dollar payoff, but not for exactly what each supposes. Good dialogue and hilarious situations make for a snappy, fast paced film which appears to be going much more slowly.

Daryl Hannah's character complains about her ex-boyfriend idolizing her: "He thinks I'm an angel. (pause) It got to be a f-cking bore." If that didn't make you laugh, avoid this film. If it did make you laugh, there are certainly other films that would be funnier to you.

Most people love big budgeted Christmas comedies, and here in Italy we have the tradition of the cine-panettoni, alas Christmas comedies that have lots of slapstick humour and crazy situations. I like them occasionally, but last May I found Hi-Life on a streaming site and since it stars some actors I like, I knew I had to see it.

Jimmy (Eric Stoltz) is a failed actor that hopes to have the audition of his life and along with that, he needs 900 $ for clearing a gambling debt but Ray (Campbell Scott) tries to raise the cash from various friends of his that owe him money. Jimmy is desperate: he tries to shoot a robber he met with a friend on their way home, he asks for help to his former girlfriend Maggie (Daryl Hannah) but in the end, he will end unscathed and the 900 dollar bill will be illusory.

So, while it's not a big budgeted Christmas comedy, is it worth seeing? Yes for the most part. The performances by Stoltz, Hannah and Scott were good and it was nice seeing veteran Charles Durning with his usual crusty old man routine. The situations were a bit absurd but funny considering the setting, and I related to most of the characters. And besides, it has the usual feel good nature of many Christmas movies.

I recommend it, but I have some piece of trivia as well: not only Daryl Hannah did a cine-panettone in Italy in 2006, but she also put a like on my comment on one of her posts on her Instagram page.

I kind of liked this flic'. It's one of those movies that you catch whilst flicking through the movie channels and you see and actor you like and say, I'll give this a chance.

This is a movie that involves lies, gambling debt, abortion, gunpoint muggings and heartbreak, but not at one point will you become exited, mainly because the film is flat. Every shot is one dimensional and maybe the writer, who is also the director should stick to just writing.

I am sure that this is a really good screenplay to read because I enjoyed the dialogue very much. I would also think that this is the reason that there was such a well known cast. It would have made a great piece for radio. Out of ten I would have to go with a five.

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.