Highest 2 Lowest

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Highest 2 Lowest

R

In Theaters Fri Aug 15

2h 13m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

92%

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49 Reviews

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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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In Theaters Fri Aug 15

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Spike Lee

Director

Denzel Washington

David King

Jeffrey Wright

Paul Christopher

Ilfenesh Hadera

Pam King

A$AP Rocky

Yung Felon

Aubrey Joseph

Trey King

Adam Nayman

Toronto Star

The director’s desire to show off New York in all of its sweltering, swarming diversity has rarely been so palpable, and the city plays itself with aplomb.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Matt Singer

ScreenCrush

Washington and Rocky’s scenes are flat-out electric.

Rated: 7/10

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Seth Katz

Slant Magazine

The more the film diverges from Kurosawa’s, the more confident and distinguished it becomes.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Julian Roman

MovieWeb

Denzel Washington gives an Oscar-caliber performance as a powerful music executive facing a deadly moral dilemma. Highest 2 Lowest continues to prove why Washington is arguably the best actor of his generation.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 13, 2025

Full Review

Chris Sawin

Bounding Into Comics

Highest 2 Lowest features an unprecedented performance from Denzel Washington, impressive cinematography, and fantastic music. However, the story is so shackled to safe and expected circumstances that it tethers the film to certain mediocrity.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Roger Friedman

Showbiz 411

Denzel: he’s one name now. He can do no wrong. Even with Jeffrey Wright seriously trying to pull attention as the second banana, Denzel knows to pay out his charms slowly. By the time he builds to a crescendo, you see what greatness on film can be.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 12, 2025

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: 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