Highest 2 Lowest

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Highest 2 Lowest

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89%

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173 Reviews

85%

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1,000+ Verified Ratings

When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the "best ears in the business", is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma. Brothers Denzel Washington and Spike Lee reunite for the 5th in their long working relationship for a reinterpretation of the great filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's crime thriller High and Low, now played out on the mean streets of modern day New York City.

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Critics Consensus

Spike Lee and Denzel Washington remix a classic with vibrantly contemporary results in Highest 2 Lowest, a swaggering thriller that lovingly showcases New York City.

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Audience Says

Spike and Denzel are the lean, mean engine behind Highest 2 Lowest, a cultural gem that cruises through the heart of New York City blasting cool tunes and delivering an unforgettable ride that’s got soul, style, and swagger.

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Beatrice Loayza

The New Republic

I can’t say that Highest 2 Lowest stands among Lee’s greatest hits, but it certainly preserves the idiosyncrasies that distinguish his filmmaking.

Sep 2, 2025

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Soren Andersen

Seattle Times

Both star and director are at the top of their game here, and that’s as good as movies get.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 2, 2025

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Kristy Puchko

Mashable

This is a journey. This is a ride. Highest 2 Lowest is Lee and Washington, reunited and good as ever.

Aug 22, 2025

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Eileen Jones

The Jacobin

[Highest 2 Lowest is] full of strange choices that pull the audience’s attention all over the place, along with an overarching sensibility of Boomer nostalgia for supposedly better times that’s pretty shocking.

Sep 2, 2025

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Brandon Lewis

Geek Vibes Nation

After half a century as one of our most important filmmakers, you sense that Spike Lee is embracing his unassailable cultural status while still rewriting his capabilities.

Rated: 9/10

Aug 31, 2025

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Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

A great summer movie, a great New York movie, and a great showcase for two legends.

Rated: B+

Aug 31, 2025

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Nicole H

Great movie, food, and service. Thanks!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/03/25

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Sandra (Lady9ers)

Excellent, excellent movie. I want to see it again. Too bad it was not properly advertised, and there weren't many theaters and time slots to pick from to watch it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/03/25

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Dave

Lost track of realism in the money tracking scene.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/03/25

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E. Constance Dunn

Outstanding movie. Little to no violence.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/02/25

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Sharon

The movie had great actors and it also had several messages that we could all learn from.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/02/25

Full Review

David O

Quintessential Spike Lee. Boasting all of his idiosyncratic flourishes, and surprisingly upbeat. Less like Kurosawa’s High and Low, and more like Spike’s She Hate Me. Often quite funny, and featuring a stellar soundtrack.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/02/25

Full Review

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Synopsis

When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the "best ears in the business", is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma. Brothers Denzel Washington and Spike Lee reunite for the 5th in their long working relationship for a reinterpretation of the great filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's crime thriller High and Low, now played out on the mean streets of modern day New York City.

Director: Spike Lee
Producer: Todd Black, Jason Michael Berman
Screenwriter: Alan Fox
Distributor: A24
Production Co: A24, Escape Artists, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, Mandalay Pictures, Apple Original Films
Rating: R (Brief Drug Use|Language Throughout)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 15, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 5, 2025
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1