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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Movie, Television and DVD Reviews  /  High Life (2019)
Posted by: Heretic, May 3rd, 2019, 10:30am
I went in blind, and was glad I did, so won't say much about the content here.

Mesmerizing, challenging, brutally violent and unabashedly adult-oriented sci-fi with a retro feel and a great look. Definitely gonna be in my top 10 for the year. Pattinson delivers an incredible performance as usual, and the storytelling is remarkable in a way that scriptwriters especially can appreciate.

If you like Claire Denis and know what you're getting into, see it in theatres *for sure*.

If you don't know what you're getting into, just be prepared for more bodily fluids than one finds in the average space adventure.
Posted by: James McClung, May 3rd, 2019, 11:31am; Reply: 1
Been sleeping on this one. Not sure why; it sounds great. Will make a point of catching it within the next week or so before it leaves theaters.
Posted by: Warren, May 3rd, 2019, 10:00pm; Reply: 2
Interesting, going to check this out tonight.
Posted by: Warren, May 5th, 2019, 10:27pm; Reply: 3
Coming back to this. Took me two nights to finish it.

Can't say I loved it, and not even sure if I liked it all that much.

Has some great parts, but the sum of them wouldn't get me to recommend this.

Not quite the bodily fluids I was expecting either haha
Posted by: James McClung, May 6th, 2019, 7:12pm; Reply: 4
Watched this afternoon. Not quite what I'd hoped for. I expected something slow and atmospheric, but this was really slow and somewhat understated. The narrative can also be pretty nebulous at times. There're several jumps in time that are far from obvious, and it's not always clear how certain characters enter and/or depart the story. None of this is helped by the bad case of mumble acting that shows up from time to time.

That said, the film is quite dark, grim, and transgressive. I was talking to my mom of all people about it and didn't realize just how crazy some of the shit that happens in this film is until I had to explain it to someone else. There are some particularly standout scenes that almost make it worth the watch alone, namely the eerie Antichrist-esque sequence in "the box." While I mention mumble acting, I do think the performances were generally strong across the board, with Juliette Binoche being the standout for me, going against type in the best way. The soundtrack is also particularly stellar; I actually sat through the credits to find out who the composer was, half-expecting/hoping to see the name Brian Williams and/or Lustmord, the king of dark ambient.

Mixed bag, but slanted toward the positive to me. Might have to take a dive into the Claire Denis filmography at this point, as I also enjoyed her vampire film Trouble Every Day. She's got a unique take on genre for sure (although perhaps these two are just flukes).
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