I've been eager to watch High-Rise ever since it was announced as I'm a fan of J.G. Ballard's dystopian outlook on life. I must admit I hadn't read the novel of High-Rise but I picked it up as soon as the movie was announced and was absolutely engrossed, finishing it within a couple of weeks. Who doesn't like to read about an idyllic society living high in the sky yet descending into the chaos of class war, leading to the residents partaking in rape and murder? Americans apparently as my computers language is set to American English and 'dystopia' isn't in the vocabulary, but fortunately Britain loves doom and gloom so this movie was made. Prior to the film being green lit I hadn't gotten to know the work of director Ben Wheatley but I certainly do now and I will forever be grateful. I should probably discuss the film as it will be more topical than the novel that was released decades ago and don't worry, Wheatley's previous films will most definitely be a post for another day.
After the end of High-Rise I just sat for a few moments, taking in everything that I had witnessed and then turned to my friend and said I thought I loved the movie. I believe the best films are the ones you do need to mull over for a little while before making your ultimate decision and it's been several days since my first viewing and I still believe it's a remarkable film but there are parts that I wasn't keen on. The novel is complex so it's impressive that Wheatley and screenwriter Amy Jump managed to translate the novel into a film format as well as they did. Although I know the ultimate outcome of events I still bought into the picturesque lifestyle that they created for the residents in the first third of the film and I was at the edge of my seat as I watched their perfect society crumble in front of me.
One of the things I was initially worried about was who they were going to use as the central protagonist in the film because in the book there are three, Richard Laing (Tom Hiddleston), Richard Wilder (Luke Evans) and Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons). Somehow they managed to pull off having the three lead characters without it feeling like a complete mess. Through Laing, who recently moved into the high-rise building, the audience is introduced the life at the high-rise with the amenities and people it offers. Wilder portrays the descent into disarray and madness for the people that are deemed the lower class of the building, whilst also displaying the ruthlessness of humanity. Royal is the architect of the building who lives in the penthouse suite at the top and seems untouchable but even he's effected by the goings on in the building, him believing he is at a higher status than the rest leads to his undoing.
One thing that surprised me is how funny the film was even though it gets quite dark at times. Perhaps it was just me that thought it was funny because every time I wanted to laugh I looked around the screen and saw expressionless faces in the audience. Maybe my fellow audience members lack a funny bone or maybe I'm sadistic, but I'd rather be sadistic and laugh at these things than wallow in a pit of depression. A film like this needs to have light and funny moments to take a break from the despair and brutality which I think it did well, yet I was the only one in the acknowledging the dark humour. I felt like I was being ostracised because I found the funny moments funny so I kept my mouth closed and I regretted it. When I watch it again I will be laughing as much as I like, particularly during the Laing/Wilder/crayon/psychoanalysis scene because that was hilarious. If you want to laugh then go ahead, don't worry about anyone thinking you're crazy because you'll probably never see them again.
It has taken thirty years for the script to be ready to film and moments after watching the film I thought it was done as perfectly as it could have been. It's a two hour film so the omissions can be forgiven, but the one major aspect that was disregarded was Laing's familial relationship with his sister which is a major plot for his character in the novels. In the adaptation she is removed completely with only a brief mention of her passing which is an odd choice, their relationship would've played out well on screen and fit right in amongst the madness. There were obviously going to be omissions and I could have forgiven this if it weren't for the inclusion of the subplot regarding Toby, Charlotte Melville's son (Sienna Miller). That story line was completely unnecessary and came out of left field, I'd rather that they exorcised that completely in favour of including Laing's sister.
In all honesty that's the only fault I can find with the film but that is coming from a book reader, If I hadn't grown so attached to the novel it probably wouldn't have bothered me. The film as a whole was shot very well which isn't surprising as this is a Ben Wheatley film. The camerawork started off sleek to represent life in the high-rise at that point in the story, when the residents and the upkeep of the building collapses into anarchy so does the camerawork and transitions between scenes, at times becoming hand held and more frantic. The score of the film is probably one of the best I've heard in a long time and I am yearning to hear it again, watching the trailer will give you a good idea of what's in store for the score as it's pretty much like that throughout.
Although I enjoyed it I don't think this is a film for everyone, if you have no background knowledge of it at all then you probably won't like it. At the very least you have to watch the trailer because the events that unfold in front of you are a tad crazy so you need to be prepared for it. It doesn't have a beginning, middle and end that is tied up with a ribbon, it has a beginning, a load of what the heck moments and some sort of weird resolution at the end. I understand why the film had a mixed response upon its premiere at TIFF as I assume it was mainly American press there (not trying to bash). It's British cinema that frequently displays bleakness and dystopia so audiences over here are accustomed to it, but I am quite curious to find out what the masses from the other side of the pond think of it though. This is not going to be a blockbuster and I think the studios know that but It will end up being a cult favourite that's adored by an elite few, and I'm proud to be one of them. I no longer think I love the film, I know it and I'm already making room for the DVD on my shelf.
The DVD that'll arrive on 31/12/2016.
Which is almost next year.
Really.
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