"Hi-Life" is no Christmas blockbuster. It's a small, rewarding treat of a Christmas-in-NYC movie, and it's one of the few holiday movies I love to see every year. It's a slice-of-life (well, slice-of-one-night, really) film full of small, everyday characters, written smartly and played by first-rate character actors. The NYC setting is warm, colorful and nostalgic without being dated in the least... kind of like New York itself (okay, like some parts of NYC). So: if you don't enjoy that sort of thing, if you've gotta have big-name glamour, special effects, knee-slapping jokes, car crashes or heavy,"message" drama in order not to be bored - avoid this film. P.S., if you miss living in and hanging out around New York, see it, especially during the holidays.
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disbarro9 December 2005
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helpless_dancer16 February 2004Bizarrely funny comedy that keeps the viewers on their toes as a bevy of characters flit all over town chasing an illusive 900 dollar payoff, but not for exactly what each supposes. Good dialogue and hilarious situations make for a snappy, fast paced film which appears to be going much more slowly.
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bellino-angelo201424 November 2022Most people love big budgeted Christmas comedies, and here in Italy we have the tradition of the cine-panettoni, alas Christmas comedies that have lots of slapstick humour and crazy situations. I like them occasionally, but last May I found Hi-Life on a streaming site and since it stars some actors I like, I knew I had to see it.
Jimmy (Eric Stoltz) is a failed actor that hopes to have the audition of his life and along with that, he needs 900 $ for clearing a gambling debt but Ray (Campbell Scott) tries to raise the cash from various friends of his that owe him money. Jimmy is desperate: he tries to shoot a robber he met with a friend on their way home, he asks for help to his former girlfriend Maggie (Daryl Hannah) but in the end, he will end unscathed and the 900 dollar bill will be illusory.
So, while it's not a big budgeted Christmas comedy, is it worth seeing? Yes for the most part. The performances by Stoltz, Hannah and Scott were good and it was nice seeing veteran Charles Durning with his usual crusty old man routine. The situations were a bit absurd but funny considering the setting, and I related to most of the characters. And besides, it has the usual feel good nature of many Christmas movies.
I recommend it, but I have some piece of trivia as well: not only Daryl Hannah did a cine-panettone in Italy in 2006, but she also put a like on my comment on one of her posts on her Instagram page. -
Hi-Life is a complicated tale of friends and acquaintances trying to outwit and bamboozle each other over a gambling debt only a few are privy to. Each of the finely scripted characters gets drawn into the conspiracy for their own reasons, being deceived by the previous conspirator yet remaining unaware of the others. Taking place one evening in a nondescript New York neighborhood, it's the tale of ordinary people living mundane lives complicated by love, hate, ego, and chicanery, yet each are a charming mixture of goodness and banality much like every one of us. The complicated plot comes together at closing time in the Hi-Life Bar where all the characters meet and their deceptions are revealed. The script is witty, the acting is first rate, and one hates to see the story end.
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=G=2 December 2001"Hi-LIfe" tells of a NYC corner pub and the antics of numerous young adults associated with it...a sort of "Cheers" kind of "feel". The plot: He needs to pay off a bookie. His girl friend tells her bro she's preggo and needs the money for an abortion. The bro begin calling in old debts from old friends...etc, etc, etc. With a Christmas time in NYC ambiance, a good cast of second tier actors, and a clever plot, "Hi-Life" has much going for it. Unfortunately, it plays like a tv sitcom with only a modicum of entertainment and a script below the level of the acting talent. Enjoyable stuff for the terminally bored but no sex, nudity, love story, or hilarity.
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geeksdoitbetter18 October 2001And that's enough for me.
It's tries to be a morality tale about the dangers of lying, but doesn't quite pull it off.
This movie doesn't have much more to recommend it, unless you enjoy seeing Daryl Hannah doing her blond impression. -
This is a somewhat cute little bar hopping movie that always seems like it's going to end badly, but due to amusing twists, never ends as one expects. It's interesting to see how the interaction of characters cause and negate problems between them.
Basically it's Christmas in New York and a rather unlucky actor owes ("Fatty") a fat bartender (and illegal bookie) money. The out of work actor decides to tell everyone he needs the money for his girlfriend's abortion. She, in turn, is the sister of another bartender who is known for selflessly lending everyone money. Hearing his sister is pregnant he goes off to call in a few debts. His pride and sympathy for others hamper his efforts. Some of the people involved in the plot appear to be somewhat unscrupulous, but thanks to the domineering and honest counterparts in their lives, they shrink to conform to the imposed morals.
Throughout the movie there is the threat that things could go horribly wrong at any time... but ingenious twists in the plot constantly surprise the viewer, neutralizing the threat and this is done rather ingeniously.
True, much of what goes on in between is totally TRIVIAL. I believe that is partly why this movie may get bad reviews, but the story is well tied up with unexpected twists... but it's HOW they get tied up that is mildly amusing. Not hilarious, but mildly amusing.
There are, however, a few pointless lengthy scenes, for example where the bartender meets up with old friends comparing wine around a table. This they could have cut, or used the time better to include other stories.
4/10 for interesting, unexpected and "different" plot twists. -
mpierce206 April 2003In this anemic comedy of errors, the complications are predictable, and the characters neither endearing nor genuinely eccentric. All in all, an uninspired barroom trifle with fewer laughs than "The Iceman Cometh'.
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asarandes10 September 2019I decided to watch it because I liked the cast. Boy was I wrong. So boring. Not the least bit funny. I just don't get what others liked about it. I was so bored I got up and started doing dishes. And I hate doing dishes. Snoozefest.
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karen-12828 May 2000This has to be, to my knowledge, the only christmas/abortion comedy ever made. Featuring splendid performances by Charles Durning as a hen-pecked love lorn bar owner, Eric Stoltz as the self-absorbed actor, and Campbell Scott as the bitter ex of Daryl Hannah, this film continually surprised and delighted me. Filmed in New York City by John Thomas (of Whit Stillman and "Sex in the City" fame) the city has never looked crisper or more inviting. The plot is wacky- a subplot involving two wacky ambulance drivers is particularly silly- but also has a wandering tone that careers from touching to bizarre, in the way that all good independent films do. Featuring the angriest Jewish santa clause ever filmed, rousingly played by Dean Cameron of "Ski School" fame. Worth a look!
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JABrown24 September 1999I didn't absolutely hate this movie, but I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did. I think I may have laughed once, but now I can't even remember what for.
My wife didn't even make it through the first fifteen minutes without falling asleep. Unfortunately, I sat through the entire thing.
Actually, I can see a slight twist of humor in that so many of the characters were intertwined... almost like a soap opera where everyone turns out to be related. Still on a scale of 1 to 10, the best I could give it would be a 3.
I guess I just expected more from this movie, especially since there were good actors and actresses involved. (Daryl Hannah, Moira Kelly, etc.) I've certainly seen worse movies, but this one did absolutely nothing for me. -
mhtyler26 October 2003Hi-life is a quiet movie. It has a combination of good acting, a pleasing script, and its completely unpretentious.
A good comparison would be to "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman, and in some ways this is a sort of urban version.
The characterizations are wonderful. Ray the bartender seems a rather hard unyielding type, but as the movie progresses we find out he's anything but unsympathetic.
Peter Reigert has a wonderful character part as a barfly-come-debt-enforcer who dishes out advice on women that he doesn't follow.
Charles Durning has a great little role as "Fatty", and I couldn't leave off discussing acting without mentioning the late Katrin Cartlidge, who gives a lovely performance as a lush with a crush.
All in all, even if you don't care for quiet little movies, put this one on the tube at Christmas time. -
flk5 November 2001I loved the fact that the producers of Hi-Life used real Upper West Side locations in this film, including the Hi-Life itself. It tugged at the heartstrings of this former UWS resident, now exiled to Atlanta. The movie itself was tolerable -- mainly because Peter Riegert was in it. Can't have enough Peter Riegert in a movie, as far as I'm concerned. The rest of the cast was amiable, if not very energetic. The story -- which could have been quite clever, with various folks chasing the same $900 for a variety of unethical reasons -- floundered in the face of lackadaisical pacing and cramped, dark cinematography.
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exit1273 January 2001I kind of liked this flic'. It's one of those movies that you catch whilst flicking through the movie channels and you see and actor you like and say, I'll give this a chance.
This is a movie that involves lies, gambling debt, abortion, gunpoint muggings and heartbreak, but not at one point will you become exited, mainly because the film is flat. Every shot is one dimensional and maybe the writer, who is also the director should stick to just writing.
I am sure that this is a really good screenplay to read because I enjoyed the dialogue very much. I would also think that this is the reason that there was such a well known cast. It would have made a great piece for radio. Out of ten I would have to go with a five. -
Hi-life is a complicated tale of friends and acquaintances trying to outwit and bamboozle each other over a gambling debt only a few are privy to. Each of the finely scripted characters gets drawn into the conspiracy for their own reasons, being deceived by the previous conspirator yet remaining unaware of the others. Taking place one evening in a nondescript New York neighborhood, it's the tale of ordinary people living mundane lives complicated by love, hate, ego, and chicanery, yet each are a charming mixture of goodness and banality much like every one of us. The complicated plot comes together at closing time in the Hi-Life Bar where all the characters meet and their deceptions are revealed. The script is witty, the acting is first rate, and one hates to see the story end.
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DeLux18 October 2000I came across this movie late one night when insomnia had me flipping the channels at 4am. I thought it was really rather funny. It had a bizarre set-up and then a very tight ensemble cast, and storylines that took the characters in and out of a series of New York City bars. Campbell Scott is very good in the film. And Moira Kelly is a cutie, as always.
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Daryl Hannah's character complains about her ex-boyfriend idolizing her: "He thinks I'm an angel. (pause) It got to be a f-cking bore." If that didn't make you laugh, avoid this film. If it did make you laugh, there are certainly other films that would be funnier to you.