High Life

Name: High Life
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Horror
Released: April 5, 2019
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 77
Cast: Agata Buzek, André Benjamin, Claire Tran, Ewan Mitchell, Gloria Obianyo

2019

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 146 Ratings

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 146 Ratings

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High Life

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Movie Details & Credits

A24 | Release Date: April 5, 2019 | Not Rated

Starring: Agata Buzek, André Benjamin, Claire Tran, Ewan Mitchell, Gloria Obianyo, Juliette Binoche, Lars Eidinger, Mia Goth, Robert Pattinson, Scarlett Lindsey

Summary: Monte (Robert Pattinson) and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor (Juliette Binoche) with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as theyMonte (Robert Pattinson) and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor (Juliette Binoche) with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.… Expand

Director: Claire Denis

Genre(s): Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Horror

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 113 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Sophie Monks Kaufman

Dec 1, 2021

The lure of intense mystery that beguiles you into trying to solve it again and again; the transference of an intoxication that makes you feel physically different afterwards. It sounds hyperbolic to describe art as having such power, but surely the reason we care about art is a belief that such power exists. High Life is too layered, too ambiguous, too potent to be about any one thing. Read full review

100

The Film Stage Josh Lewis

Sep 13, 2018

The crew’s suffering is bleak and oppressive, but Denis invites us to witness it so that we truly understand the power of Monte’s conviction in his improvised mission...and Denis is so emotionally in tune with what that might feel like it becomes overwhelming. Read full review

Dave White

Apr 4, 2019

It begins in a lush, green garden, but High Life, the quiet, bracing and ultimately moving first English-language film from acclaimed French director Claire Denis, is the antithesis of a creation story. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Apr 4, 2019

Claire Denis’ grotesque, mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind new science fiction movie. Read full review

Peter Keough

Apr 10, 2019

Never has space travel looked so sordid, debased, mean-spirited, or crummy, qualities intensified by the (intentionally) ugliest cinematography ever — except for the close-ups of faces — from the great Agnès Godard, Denis’s longtime collaborator. But seldom has space travel served as such an eloquent and tragic representation of the human condition. Read full review

Allan Hunter

Sep 10, 2018

High Life offers an uncompromising mind-bender of a deep space journey through destructive desire, faith, trust and the instincts for good and bad that make us merely human. Read full review

Rex Reed

Sep 28, 2018

An unwatchable sci-fi creep-out by eccentric French director Claire Denis, it stars Robert Pattinson, who devotes himself these days to art films in an effort to live down his reputation as a sexy television vampire. Read full review

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User Reviews

TomL11

Apr 11, 2019

Brilliant film from start to finish, highly recommend. Many negative reviews on this site actually disregard plot structure and information that was provided in the film, and to those people who cant interpret based on basic information, I feel sorry for you. Highly recommend this film.

5 of 11 users found this helpful56

StevieGJD

Apr 13, 2019

This is an anomaly: an arthouse, dystopian future, sci-fi, mind bender. I have appreciated many of Claire Denis' films. This one, in English, is definitely different. There are shots of great beauty, imbued with stunning composition. Metaphors abound in many of the beautifully composedThis is an anomaly: an arthouse, dystopian future, sci-fi, mind bender. I have appreciated many of Claire Denis' films. This one, in English, is definitely different. There are shots of great beauty, imbued with stunning composition. Metaphors abound in many of the beautifully composed shots. There are also many vulgar and disturbing images. Though there are numerous sexually charged events, none of them are remotely erotic. That tension, between vulgar sexuality and absent eroticism is certainly both one of the main subtexts and also something that will put many people off. The film is not presented in a linear narrative, though there ends up being one when one pieces together the parts, which are constantly switching between times. The acting is very good. It is not for everyone. For example, I would never bring my mother or my wife. But I found it interesting, sometimes funny, and always engaging. It will not be most people's cup of tea; but I found it interesting and moving.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

Dubeau

Oct 7, 2019

High Life is a slow captivating movie. The story is one about sexuality and space, the voids it can creates. The notion of danger is omnipresent in a very silent and obscure way, like a black hole. Opposed to this is the relation of Monte and Willow. One of fatherhood, tenderness. But also aHigh Life is a slow captivating movie. The story is one about sexuality and space, the voids it can creates. The notion of danger is omnipresent in a very silent and obscure way, like a black hole. Opposed to this is the relation of Monte and Willow. One of fatherhood, tenderness. But also a man who refused to be manipulated and goes against his emotions and surrounding. FX are limited here. And the action is mostly human in nature. I give it a 75%. You might not like the ending or the slow pace but this is a pretty decent scifi drama. Be warned that this movie is for adults.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

KeithDow

Apr 24, 2019

Claire Denis' 'High Life' is undoubtedly better on paper than it is on the screen. One has to assume that the script includes certain details like what "The Box" is, or clarify the discrepancy between the fates of the astronaut's bodies early on versus what we're shown throughout theClaire Denis' 'High Life' is undoubtedly better on paper than it is on the screen. One has to assume that the script includes certain details like what "The Box" is, or clarify the discrepancy between the fates of the astronaut's bodies early on versus what we're shown throughout the movie.

Despite the film's limited dialogue, many of the lines feel bizarrely stilted, as if there was a problem in the French-to-English translation regarding the emotional meaning of what Denis was hoping to convey.

As a result, Denis has ultimately made a film that is just interesting enough to keep the audience's attention the entire time, but lackluster enough for them to never really care. Worse, the last twenty minutes are so packed with logical flaws that 'High Life' crashes into its final destination rather than ending on anything that resembles a high note, sadly wasting another superb performance by Robert Pattinson whose time and effort could have been better spent on something else.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

Brent_Marchant

Apr 14, 2019

This meandering, convoluted attempt at merging space sci-fi, edgy eroticism and the fallout of dystopian society never finds its legs, leaving viewers scratching their heads more often than not. Poor sound quality, cheap-looking sets and an inexplicably nonlinear script don't help matters asThis meandering, convoluted attempt at merging space sci-fi, edgy eroticism and the fallout of dystopian society never finds its legs, leaving viewers scratching their heads more often than not. Poor sound quality, cheap-looking sets and an inexplicably nonlinear script don't help matters as the characters and the story hopelessly seek to sort themselves out. The hype here is definitely ill-deserved, and Robert Pattinson definitely needs to pick better scripts.… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

qbase

May 5, 2019

Η ατμόσφαιρα προηγείται του –μάλλον προσχηματικού– δράματος, τα γκροτέσκα ξεσπάσματα είναι εντελώς αταίριαστα με το σιωπηλό, ονειρικό αφηγηματικό τέμπο και οι αναφορές στην εγγενή βία των ανθρώπινων σχέσεων προβλέψιμη ως τελικό συμπέρασμα.Η ατμόσφαιρα προηγείται του –μάλλον προσχηματικού– δράματος, τα γκροτέσκα ξεσπάσματα είναι εντελώς αταίριαστα με το σιωπηλό, ονειρικό αφηγηματικό τέμπο και οι αναφορές στην εγγενή βία των ανθρώπινων σχέσεων προβλέψιμη ως τελικό συμπέρασμα.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

garretts228

Aug 3, 2020

This movie is a lot like watching paint dry, but with a twist. The twist is feeling deranged and uneasy afterwards. I recommend the paint.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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97	#97 Most Discussed Movie of 2019
33	#33 Most Shared Movie of 2019