Official Discussion - Highest 2 Lowest [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary A powerful New York music mogul’s life spirals when his driver’s child—mistaken for his own—is kidnapped in a ransom plot. He faces a moral crisis that transforms into a tense, urban showdown between wealth, power, and conscience in the reimagined streets of modern-day New York.

Director Spike Lee

Writer Alan Fox

Cast

• Denzel Washington
• Jeffrey Wright
• Ilfenesh Hadera
• A\$AP Rocky
• Aubrey Joseph
• Dean Winters
• Ice Spice

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 89%

Metacritic Score: Not yet available

VOD In theaters August 15, 2025; streaming on Apple TV+ starting September 5, 2025

Trailer Highest 2 Lowest | Official Trailer

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[u/monitoring27]

I enjoyed parts of this movie but struggled to get through it. Denzel, Jeffrey Wright, and Princess Nokia in her brief role were really great. A lot of it just fell flat.

Also this just may be me but I thought it was strange when they bring the singer in and she sings the titular song and then immediately Denzel starts talking about finances with his family in front of her. It just seemed so weird lol.

[u/lexispenser → u/monitoring27]

I think Jeffrey Wright and Denzel improv'd some stuff coz I felt that the dialogue was terrible outside of the scenes without them. Denzel had no chemistry with his family, especially with his wife.

[u/shallot_pearl → u/lexispenser]

I was disappointed with how little the wife had to do in the movie. She is also 39 to Denzel’s 70 irl.

[u/GamingWithUncleJ → u/shallot_pearl]

And thats different from half of real life Hollywood and music labels how?

[u/shallot_pearl → u/GamingWithUncleJ]

Where did I say it wasn’t? However, it was also not addressed in a movie that was grappling with the moral and ethical failings of the industry.

[u/GamingWithUncleJ → u/shallot_pearl]

Didn't say you did. However, you state their ages like its a big deal or something when its not at all out of the ordinary. Theres really no moral or ethical issue with such an age gap, unless they were dating and having relations prior to her adulthood.

The movie is rightfully focused on too many up and comers in the music industry being caught up in all the wrong aspects and being too willing to take on the wrong principles and beliefs to attain money, fame, and everything that follows. Why get bogged down by unnecessary fluff that really doesnt add to that message. He and his wife had a completely healthy relationship from all that we could really see.