Highest 2 Lowest

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Highest 2 Lowest

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2h 13m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

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84%

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221 Reviews

84%

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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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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

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Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

Dragged out over two-plus formulaic hours, the film underscores Lee’s vertiginous decline.

Rated: 1.5/5

Oct 4, 2025

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Michael Wood

London Review of Books

Lee has made a quite different movie, marked by elegant allusions rather than debt.

Oct 3, 2025

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Chris McCoy

Memphis Flyer

Highest 2 Lowest should be a triumphant victory lap for the most potent actor/director combo since Kurosawa and Mfune. Instead, the kidnapping drama plays out like a phoned-in cash grab.

Oct 1, 2025

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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

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Bryan

Thought provoking, great horror movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/24/25

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Gray

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

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/21/25

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Kenneth C

Denzel and Spike strike again!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/20/25

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Ernesto

Incoherent storytelling, lack of character development, bad characters, bad cinematography, awkward score, lack of things to enjoy in this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/20/25

Full Review

corey g

Was a great flick … spike knocked it out of Brooklyn

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/19/25

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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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