HEIGHTS

US, 2004, 93 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Close, Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden, Jesse Bradford, Thomas Lennon, Matthew Davies, Dennis O' Hare, Rufus Wainwright, Eric Bogosian, George Segal.
Directed by Chris Terrio.

You may have to search hard to find a screening of Heights. It is one of those well-written and well-acted dramas that appeals to a limited audience. It is considered ‘art-house’ cinema. Maybe it is, but it is an interesting character study nonetheless. However, it limits itself in its ability to create really rounded portraits because the action takes place over twenty four hours and a lot happens to the characters, not so much in events as in emotions.

Not unlike a film like Nine Lives, Heights displays captions to highlight the characters the film-makers want us to pay attention to. Often there are two names and we have to watch the relationship. At one stage, two names appear but one of the characters is never seen, phones and is talked about and has a determining role in the outcome.

Again, the screenplay is based on a play by Amy Fox. While the film is opened out, it is not difficult to appreciate how it would have worked in the theatre.

For some there are heights, for others depths. This is a New York story, a story of apartments, of theatre – stars, directors and aspiring actors – of affluent celebrities and of young adults desperate to have successful careers. It is also one of those ‘six degrees of separation’ stories, plausible but still a bit difficult to accept the interconnections because they all have to be made in the one day.

The central character is a talented photographer who is about to marry. She is played by Elizabeth Banks. Her fiance is James Marsden who is concerned about wedding rehearsals and confiding in his rabbi (George Segal). She is sacked during the day, gets a great opportunity to go on a photo-shoot overseas, is pursued by a past friend (Matt Davis), has to deal with her prima donna mother who dislikes her fiance and, finally, has to deal with her decision about marrying. All the degrees of connection can be linked to her.

Her mother is Glenn Close, a Broadway star rehearsing Macbeth, directed by her husband, Eric Bogosian. She is a woman of definite opinions, temperamental who decides to take up a young man at an audition as a protégé (Jesse Bradford) and invites him to her soiree. The reason he does not ultimately go leads to a dramatic surprise and the reason for the resolution of the whole piece. There is also a significant plot device where a gay photographer is mounting an exhibition of photos, including men that he has had relationships with.

Audiences will not miss not seeing it, but will be interested if they do.

1. The title, expectations?

2. The play as a basis, opened out, the dialogue and the emphasis on characters and speech? Situations?

3. New York City, homes and departments, the world of the theatre, business? The musical score?

4. The ensemble cast, their strengths? The guest appearances?

5. The interconnections between the characters? The challenges?

6. 24 hours, experiences, the challenge for change?

7. Isabel at the centre, character, age, experience, the engagement? Jonathan, his personality, the relationship with Isabel? The Jewish issues, going to see the rabbi? The personality of the rabbi and his influence? Jonathan, having to think about himself, opening up, surprise, the consequences for the engagement? Isabel, the encounter with Peter, the journalist, interactions?

8. Diane, as wife, in the open-marriage? As a mother? Control? Her influence on Isabel, their interactions? The theatre world, performance, real and artificial? The addition of the young actor, her response to him, the effect?

9. The actor, young, coming to the audition, his performance, Diane, her response, his response to her?

10. Diane’s husband, having the affair, his character, the open-marriage, values, consequences?

11. The range of incidental characters, in the lives of the central characters, at the theatre, the situations, the interconnections?

12. The story of New Yorkers, their life and style? Universal themes and values?