High Art
Ally Sheedy stars as Lucy Berliner, a once-famous photographer, whose career is revitalized when she meets Syd (Radha Mitchell), a beautiful young assistant editor for a prestigious photography magazine. Withdrawn from the art world, Lucy is reawakened by Syd who offers her the hope of escaping her drug-filled world. Before Syd realizes it, she is drawn into Lucy's seductive and dangerous mix while forced to make choices she never imagined.
Member Reviews
Good Performance But Only a Middling Film - Gregg
Story of a young photo editor Syd (Radha Mitchell) who finds herself involved professionally and romantically with photographer and upstairs neighbor Lucy (Ally Sheedy). Lucy who was once highly successful found herself unable to cope with the pressure and declined into a drug induced oblivion.
The film received a lot of attention for Sheedy’s performance which is very good, but it’s not sufficient to carry the film which seems to lose its focus in the latter half. While it is quite original in some ways other elements seemed largely familiar with only a few twists. Other than Sheedy, Radha Mitchell is fine but despite a reasonable career hasn’t achieved much distinction, Patricia Clarkson is good in a strange role but doesn’t have that much to do.
The film was written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko who followed up 4 years later with the mildly successful Laurel Canyon and 8 years after that with The Kids Are All Right which would garner 4 Oscar nominations.Almost great. - Konigsberg
Considering the content it does a really great job of avoiding all the usual cliches that come along with these kinds of films (except, perhaps for the ending).
Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell are really quite good together, I buy their relationship hook, line, and sinker. Patricia Clarkson is amazing as this cracked-out German actress who is usually stoned, and likable despite herself.
Unfortunately the ending keeps me from giving this a full fledged recommend, but someone else will probably be able to look past it more than I can.
Great performances, beautiful look to the film. I dug it far more than I thought I would. Shame about that last reel, could have been a real diamond.Not what it could have been. - Frank_Ricard
This film had a lot of potential but in the end left me disappointed.
Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell both turn in excellent and convincing performances (Sheedy in particular) and some of the supporting cast is good as well. However, much of the supporting cast were either wooden or caricatures - Patricia Clarkson's character was particularly annoying and unnatural...which is a shame because she is a fantastic actress typically.
Some of the casting was also odd and distracting.
In my opinion it was a strong screenplay but the execution of the film, including the direction, fell short in the end.
Member Reviews
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Good Performance But Only a Middling Film - Gregg
Story of a young photo editor Syd (Radha Mitchell) who finds herself involved professionally and romantically with photographer and upstairs neighbor Lucy (Ally Sheedy). Lucy who was once highly successful found herself unable to cope with the pressure and ...Almost great. - Konigsberg
Considering the content it does a really great job of avoiding all the usual cliches that come along with these kinds of films (except, perhaps for the ending).
Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell are really quite good together, I buy their relationship hook, ...Not what it could have been. - Frank_Ricard
This film had a lot of potential but in the end left me disappointed.
Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell both turn in excellent and convincing performances (Sheedy in particular) and some of the supporting cast is good as well. However, much of the supporting ...