Highest 2 Lowest Movie Review

“Highest 2 Lowest” is ‘just’ another remake. But don’t roll your eyes, because this remake is actually an update to an earlier movie by a classic Director – Akira Kurosawa. And this is pairing of a true ‘Power Couple’ in Hollywood. Denzel Washington and Spike Lee bring the goods to this joint.

In the city that doesn’t sleep, there is a famous record company boss with the name of David King (played by Denzel Washington). He is the chief of “Stackin’ Hits” records, a company he founded and that has a long history in New York City. The record label was huge in past days. That is why King is able to live like one. He has amassed a lot of wealth and prestige.

His wife Pam (played by Ilfenesh Hadera) loves the exclusive life that she lives with David and their son Trey King (played by Aubrey Joseph). Their luxury apartment overlooks the Hudson River and the Brooklyn Bridge. David King is pretty much on top of the world. But he also believes in old friends, such as Paul Christopher (played by Jeffrey Wright).

Paul is an old-time buddy who grew up with David. Paul got into some trouble, and spent time in prison. But now, he works as a driver and assistant to David King. Paul stays with David and his family — ever since his wife died. He is there along with his son Kyle (played by Elijah Wright). David always does right by Paul and Kyle.

Kyle and Trey and going to a basketball camp at the Midtown school. David goes to work, and hears the final offer from another company. They want to buy David’s little baby — and make it into a soulless corporate ‘hit machine’. David tries to pool all of his resources to make a counter-offer. He wants to totally have his own company back.

Paul knows that David King has not been really happy with things at the company lately. Pam King wants David to have a dream and follow it. But he needs to be realistic, in case it all blows up in his face. But then David gets a phone call from an unknown caller. It is about his son.

Trey has been kidnapped and now is being held for ransom. The fiend wants huge payout — $17.5 million. David has just signed the deal to buy back his company. All of his assets are tied up in this deal. It would be really hard to come up with this amount of cash. Oh, and it is not in dollars — the kidnapper wants it all in Swiss Francs.

Police are on the scene, and everyone is making a scene. David is in a panic that he cannot get the money. Pam is in a panic that her son is missing and could be killed. But soon — it is Paul who is in that panic. Trey shows up and is safe. They made some type of mistake and took Paul’s’ son Kyle by mistake.

David King thinks that now it is a different story. His some is safe, and he no longer has to worry about the cash and the payment. After all — it is not his son being held. Paul pleads with King to ‘do the right thing‘ (so to speak). But David refuses, until he gets some advice from an old business partner.

David gets told that soon the public will find out that his employee has a kidnapped son. If David refuses to become involved — he will become a pariah in social media and in the press. David may own a business that will be shunned and ridiculed. Well, that changes everything.

The kidnapper gives specific instructions to David for delivering the money. Of course, David will be tracked and followed by the police so there will be ‘limited’ risk to David (and to the money). To make it most difficult, the instructions are to get a NYC Metro subway car. Of course, it will be jam packed with NY Yankees fans on their way to a home game. And of course, the train will travel on a bridge over a huge Puerto Rico street fair at the same time.

The money handoff is fumbled, the police lose track of the backpack. The wrong suspect is chased and things go pretty much bad all the way around. However, Paul’s son Kyle is released. David King is now honored — but also mocked. The press and social media have a field day about the botched operation that finally worked.

But now, Kyle is recovering in hospital. Paul is ecstatic, but has no way to pay back David. David’s music empire might just be crumbling away. He is out all that money – and there is no way to find the person responsible. The police question Kyle, but he does not have any useful information. All he remembers is a rap song being played in the other room.

David, of course — the man with the ‘best ears in the business’ — gets an idea about the song that Kyle heard over and over. He connects it to a local underground street rapper named Yung Felony (played by A$AP Rocky). Paul knows more people at the street level, and they get him an address. Soon — there is a Detective with a three-piece suit and his loyal driver going out in the rough ‘hoods of New York.

Yung Felony and David King have a face-off, but first they have a ‘rap-off’. Both of them exchanging verses about how life takes you to the peak and you reach the pinnacle. Then other times, you get dragged down and you feel so overwhelmed. You know — something about being ‘Highest 2 Lowest’.

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“Highest 2 Lowest” is a Spike Lee joint with the whole thing glued together with the high-powered talent of Denzel Washington. These two have created a number of stellar movies. This might not be the most successful collaboration between these to visionaries. But it gives honor to the past — seeing that it was focused on renewing and revising the story of “High and Low”.

Akira Kurosawa directed “High and Low” in 1963, and this is favorite for Spike Lee. He put this updated story into a version that perfectly fit his friend Denzel Washington. Washington has an easy charm as ‘David the King’ of the New York music industry. Because this is a movie from Spike Lee — there is one other famous character. That is New York City, itself. All of the loud, boisterous hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.

Speaking of Apple, this movie will have a very limited release into the theaters. It will be released on August 15 into a few movie theaters. Then on September 5th – this will become a new Apple TV+ joint (as Spike Lee would say). Seeing that Denzel Washington might be close to being retired from starring in any more movies, this could be your last chance.

However great Washington is (and he is pretty great), that is not to say the rest of cast is bad. You have Jeffrey Wright in another nice supporting role as Paul. Ilfenesh Hadera plays Pam as a swank and caring wife. Aubrey Joseph handles the role of Trey with a very dramatic scene against Denzel Washington. Elijah Wright goes for genetically perfect role of Kyle (Paul’s son). Even the rapper A$AP Rocky (Yung Felony) is able to play against the big man.

There are some issues with the movie pacing and keeping the story interesting in some sections. There are some parts that lag here and there. There a few obvious ADR issues with the dialog. But the movie is shot as a love letter to New York City and the vibrant Black and Hispanic culture thriving in that space.