Highest 2 Lowest

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1:52

Highest 2 Lowest

R

Aug 2025

2h 13m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

224 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

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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Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

The moral twists that follow...have a simmer, but as soon as the plot moves onto the city’s streets the energy, in both the performances and Lee’s almost joyous camera moves, goes up a satisfying notch.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 18, 2025

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Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

Hard to put it in a box. It’s got weak and strong elements. But once it ends, you realize that you’ve just been entertained.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 15, 2025

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

The old-bloke attempts to engage with the contemporary music scene border on the embarrassing. Some of the casting is unfortunate. The film is never boring, but, once that delightful opening winds down, the action clunks where it should purr.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 11, 2025

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

Fish Jelly Films (YouTube)

There are several fatal flaws hobbling Spike Lee's latest joint Highest 2 Lowest, a film heavily stamped by his signature flourishes but ruined by a tepid, corny screenplay suggesting an erosion of benevolence for those at the top and bottom of the....

Rated: 2/5

Oct 23, 2025

Full Review

Sean P. Means

The Movie Cricket

There’s one set piece that ranks among the best work Lee has ever done: A sequence where David has to hand off a backpack with the ransom, shot through a lively Puerto Rican neighborhood festival.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

Lee imbues the film with a strong emphasis on family and the challenges of moral certainty, which gives Highest 2 Lowest a vitality that even its various weaknesses can’t entirely undercut

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 8, 2025

Full Review

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Tommy H

not bad, but not great

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/25/25

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lupe V

I enjoy this movie, especially because it is a true story in life

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/12/25

Full Review

BoLo

I loved how the movie showed how a good man living his dream is willing to risk it all for a friend and relationship with his own son.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/25/25

Full Review

Bryan

Thought provoking, great horror movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/24/25

Full Review

Gray

A great mystery with action. Denzel and Jeffery never disappoint.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/21/25

Full Review

Kenneth C

Denzel and Spike strike again!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/20/25

Full Review

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Highest 2 Lowest: Trailer 1

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Highest 2 Lowest: Teaser

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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

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