Heights is a 2005 American drama film directed by Chris Terrio and written by Amy Fox, based on her 2001 stage play of the same name. It follows a pivotal twenty-four hours in the interconnected lives of five New Yorkers.[1] It stars Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden, Glenn Close, Jesse Bradford, and John Light. Numerous prominent actors such as Eric Bogosian, George Segal, and Isabella Rossellini appear in supporting roles.

Heights
Theatrical release poster
Directed byChris Terrio
Screenplay byAmy Fox
Based onHeights
by Amy Fox
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJim Denault
Edited bySloane Klevin
Music by
  • Ben Butler
  • Martin Erskine
Production
company
Distributed bySony Pictures Classics
Release dates
  • January 24, 2005 (2005-01-24) (Sundance)
  • June 17, 2005 (2005-06-17) (United States)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.3 million

Heights was produced by Merchant Ivory Productions. It premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2005, and received a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 17, 2005, through Sony Pictures Classics.

Plot

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Over the course of 24 hours, a group of New Yorkers, whose lives are interconnected, must make pivotal decisions about their relationships. Most notably, Isabel, a photographer, is having second thoughts about her engagement to Jonathan, while her award-winning actress mother Diana suspects that her husband is having an affair and thus questions the open nature of her marriage.

Cast

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Release

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In January 2004, Sony Pictures Classics acquired distribution rights to the film for North and Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and Spain.[2] The film premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2005, before receiving a limited theatrical release on June 17.

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of 104 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Yet another movie about relationships in the Big Apple, Heights is never dull thanks to a competent cast."[3] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 59 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[4] Roger Ebert gave the film a positive review, stating that "its chief pleasure comes through simple voyeurism. It is entertaining to see the lives of complex people become brutally simple all of a sudden.[5] Variety noted the quality of the ensemble acting.[6]

Box office

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Heights grossed $1.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $0.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $1.3 million.[7]

Awards

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The film received an award from the Casting Society of America for Best Independent Feature Film Casting (with the award going to James Calleri).

References

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  1. ^ Dargis, Manohla (June 17, 2005). "A Long Day for Brooding and Yearning in the City". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Dunkley, Cathy; Rooney, David (21 January 2004). "SPC hits 'Heights' rights". Variety. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Heights". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 2023-02-26.  
  4. ^ "Heights". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  5. ^ Ebert, Roger (June 23, 2005). "'Heights' rises five stories".
  6. ^ Nesselson, Lisa (January 25, 2005). "Heights".
  7. ^ "Heights". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 2023-02-26. 
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