gridoon2018 Okay, let's start with the good words about "Heights": it's slick, stylish, absorbing, observant, and well-acted. Now let's write one not-so-good word: it's also inconsequential. In the best movies of this type (multi-character dramas where the characters cross paths, knowingly or inadvertently), every character is equally important (see "Short Cuts"); in "Heights", it becomes clear after a while that the focus is really on Elizabeth Banks (very beautiful), James Mardsen, Glenn Close and Jesse Bradford, while some of the other big names in the cast have insignificant (Eric Bogosian, George Segal) or even practically cameo (Isabella Rossellini) parts. Once the story of the principal four players is concluded, the others are forgotten and the movie ends. But it does hold your interest all the way through. Not recommended for homophobic viewers. *** out of 4.

Raymond I'm a bit of a sucker for NYC based dramas, having liked Woody Allen's work since 90's. This is no Woody Allen movie, but quite good nonetheless.The acting is good all the way, the script too. It's interesting, the dialogue is never boring. The intertwined story lines don't feel forced.Like someone else here stated, I'm not sure if Isabel's story is the most interesting here, even tho she's clearly in focus most of the time. Ms. Banks is good here, and her career has gone up since this movie for a good reason.The most interesting character here is probably her to-be husband Jonathan (James Marsden) who battles with a serious dilemma. It's at the same time one of the most interesting aspects of this movie, but also a bit of a problem. It's difficult not to write about it without giving anything away, but in the finale was slightly questionable. Stop reading here if you don't want to be spoiled.In the end Isabel breaks up with Jonathan, but it's not quite clear if she does it because he was cheating on her, or because he was gay/bisexual - or both. She's just shocked to see him kissing a guy and in the next scene they've separated already. We don't get a better resolution for the relationship.It's a good movie anyway. Recommended. I hadn't heard of this before, but it caught my eye on Netflix and I don't regret the time spent.

John G What a wasted cast.This is one of the most disappointing films I've seen.Usually Roger Ebert does not let me down, but I feel cheated after seeing this movie.The only thrill is seeing Elizabeth banks in her bra. That is a sorry statement about this movie. It held so much promise, but it was like dry humping a transvestite.This is self absorbed tripe.I cannot express deeply enough my bitterness at having sat through this movie, and hope I can forewarn you of the same disappointment.

correcamino I understand a lot of the criticisms I've read so far of this film. I can see how the characters might bug some people with their self-absorption. But for me, the movie had a central pillar of integrity because it was originally a play, and I thought the writing gave it intelligent coherence. For me, there always was a point.What most struck me about the film from the get-go with Diana Lee's scene (Glenn Close) teaching the master acting class was the notion that we've all become cel phone-talking, latte-drinking, status conscious zombies afraid to bust out and take a damn risk. I thought the director sort of layered this idea on top of the film in a way that I imagined Crash tried, unsuccessfully, to do. The result was, as some have noted, not a plot driven movie but a character-based one, one in which we are not surprised by much, but, again as someone else pointed out, the point is the characters' reactions to each other. I really gravitated to this idea that we have sold our souls to ambition, our future, and feeling secure in it. This idea has particular resonance for me. In their own ways, living like this dehumanized the characters. This was particularly obvious for the fiancé, Jonathan.Elizabeth Banks looks remarkably like another actress these days, not Parker Posey, but someone else -- Julia Stiles or Kirsten Dunst. I thought the entire cast was pretty decent and interesting. Isabella Rosellini's scene was excellent – she captured that subtly bullying personality perfectly.Unlike a lot of others, I actually thought Glenn Close was a little flat in her scenes away from the theater. Maybe she was supposed to be.Roger Ebert's review had some weird grammatical or spelling and sense mistakes.Rightly or wrongly the notion that corporations have won and have won us really grabbed me while watching Heights. This was one of those quiet movies. I don't mean quiet film as in understated, but literally a quiet movie/sound script. It's one of those dvds you can fall asleep to. It's so soothing, no loud noises, slow, nice, tinkling soundtrack, everyone's voices are soft. It wasn't boring. I watched it once, then started it over and fell asleep to it the second time.