High-Rise (film)

High-Rise

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2015
Founder	Ben Wheatley (director), Amy Jump (screenwriter), Jeremy Thomas (producer)
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Film adaptation of J. G. Ballard's novel "High-Rise"
Parent	StudioCanal, Film4 Productions, British Film Institute

High-Rise is a 2015 British dystopian thriller helmed by director Ben Wheatley with a screenplay by Amy Jump, adapted from the 1975 novel authored by J. G. Ballard. The cast includes Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, and Elisabeth Moss.

Set within an upscale tower block in 1975, the residence’s state-of-the-art facilities create a barrier between its inhabitants and the external world. As the building’s infrastructure begins to fail, escalating social unrest leads to turmoil inside the high-rise.

The movie debuted at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a screening at the San Sebastián Film Festival. It was released in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2016 through StudioCanal. Although it garnered moderate critical praise, it did not recoup its £6.1 million (approximately US$8 million) production budget, earning $4.1 million at the box office. In 2017, it was nominated for the Empire Award for Best British Film.

Plot

In September 1975, Dr. Robert Laing resides in a declining 40-story tower block on the outskirts of London, once celebrated as a modern architectural marvel designed by Anthony Royal. The wealthier occupants live on the upper levels, while less affluent tenants occupy the lower floors. The building features amenities such as a swimming pool, gymnasium, spa, supermarket, and primary school, fostering residents’ detachment from the outside environment. Following his sister’s death, Laing moves into an apartment on the 25th floor and starts a relationship with Charlotte Melville, a single mother, becoming a paternal figure to her son Toby. He also forms friendships with Richard Wilder, a documentary filmmaker, and his pregnant wife Helen, who live several floors below.

During a physiology class, a student named Munrow collapses and undergoes brain scanning. Later, Laing attends an 18th-century costume party hosted by Royal’s elitist wife Ann, where he is mocked for his contemporary clothing and subsequently expelled. Frequent power outages, water shortages, and blocked refuse chutes increasingly disrupt daily life within the tower. Royal dismisses these problems as minor growing pains. Although Munrow’s scans show no abnormalities, Laing persuades him that he has a brain tumor. Amid another blackout, widespread revelry breaks out; Munrow ultimately commits suicide by leaping from the 39th floor. Doubting official responses to the building’s decline, Wilder attempts to reveal its worsening condition.

As lawlessness spreads, violence and class struggles intensify; garbage piles up and food scarcity worsens. Laing begins displaying signs of psychological instability—assaulting a man, barricading himself indoors, and engaging in an affair with Helen. After being attacked by residents from upper floors, Wilder plots to assassinate Royal, suspecting him of bribery to overlook the chaos. He acquires a firearm from Royal’s former housekeeper and uncovers that Toby is Royal’s illegitimate child. Wilder tortures Charlotte for information about Royal. Meanwhile, Cosgrove—a newsreader and one of the few upper-floor residents still employed outside—falls victim to murder at the hands of gangs from lower floors.

Some affluent residents slaughter Ann’s horse for meat and request Laing to perform a lobotomy on Wilder due to his perceived threat. After examining Wilder, Laing refuses this request, describing him as "possibly the sanest man in the building." Laing narrowly escapes being thrown off the tower but is rescued by Royal, who suggests that the tower’s collapse might serve as a "crucible for change," motivating inhabitants to pursue new paths. Helen delivers her overdue baby during this time. Wilder confronts Royal in his penthouse and shoots him dead but is then fatally stabbed by Royal’s female companions as Toby watches.

The story concludes inside the devastated tower block where violence has diminished owing to deaths and departures. Laing appears mentally unbalanced, speaking about himself in third person while lying beside Charlotte. He contemplates that similar disorder will likely occur in the development’s second tower. The final scene shows Toby listening to Margaret Thatcher’s radio address declaring that "where there is state capitalism there can never be political freedom."

Development

Since the 1970s, British producer Jeremy Thomas has sought to bring J. G. Ballard's High-Rise to the screen, initially collaborating with director Nicolas Roeg on an early attempt. During the 2000s, Thomas teamed up with screenwriter Richard Stanley and director Vincenzo Natali to develop a loosely based adaptation.

In 2013, director Ben Wheatley obtained the rights via Thomas, emphasizing the novel's ongoing significance in contemporary culture. The screenplay was adapted by Amy Jump, Wheatley's spouse.

In February 2014, Tom Hiddleston was cast as Dr. Robert Laing, marking another project with Thomas following Only Lovers Left Alive. Later that year, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss joined the ensemble.

The film’s score was composed by Clint Mansell.

International sales were handled by HanWay Films, with funding provided by the British Film Institute and FilmFour.

Filming

Principal photography commenced in July 2014 in Belfast, focusing mainly on the coastal town of Bangor, County Down. On 3 July 2014, Wheatley shared images from the set on Twitter. By 6 August, Tom Hiddleston posted a photo featuring himself alongside Wheatley, Luke Evans, and director of photography Laurie Rose. Elisabeth Moss praised Wheatley’s distinctive directing approach and noted the enhanced production resources compared to his previous works.

Release

Prior to filming, distribution rights for the UK and France were secured by StudioCanal and The Jokers. In August 2015, Soda Pictures acquired Canadian distribution rights. The film debuted at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September 2015 and was subsequently shown at the San Sebastian Film Festival, London Film Festival, and Torino Film Festival. Shortly thereafter, Magnet Releasing obtained US distribution rights. The UK release took place on 18 March 2016; in the United States, it premiered on 28 April 2016 followed by a simultaneous video on demand and limited theatrical release on 13 May 2016.

Although featured at several festivals and backed by a strategic distribution plan, the film did not recover its production expenses.

Critical response

Tim Robey of The Telegraph awarded High-Rise 4 out of 5 stars, commending its blend of harshness and dark humor. IGN gave it a score of 7.0/10, describing it as an "enjoyably dark and disturbing adaptation" of J.G. Ballard’s novel. Kate Wilson from Varsity bestowed a perfect 5-star rating, calling it a "masterpiece." Laura Mark of Architects Journal praised its "fantastic" visual style while critiquing the storyline as weak; she highlighted its commentary on modern issues such as gentrification and social inequality. The film also evokes a sense of nostalgia for the aesthetics of the 1970s.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average score of . The consensus reads: "High-Rise may not entirely live up to its classic source material but delivers an energetic, well-acted, and thought-provoking exploration of relevant socioeconomic themes." On Metacritic, it has a rating of 65/100 from 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."

Accolades

Award	Ceremony Date	Category	Nominees	Outcome
British Independent Film Awards	6 December 2015	Leading Actor	Tom Hiddleston	Template:Nominated
		Supporting Actress	Sienna Miller	Template:Nominated
		Supporting Actor	Luke Evans	Template:Nominated
		Screenplay	Amy Jump	Template:Nominated
London Film Critics' Circle Awards	22 January 2017	British/Irish Film of the Year	High-Rise	Template:Nominated
British Film Designers Guild Awards	28 January 2017	Outstanding Production Design in an Independent Feature Film	Mark Tildesley, Frank Walsh, and Paki Smith	Template:Won
European Composer and Songwriter Alliance Grand Scores Award	2 February 2017	Outstanding Orchestral Score	Clint Mansell	Template:Won
Empire Awards	19 March 2017	Best British Film	High-Rise	Template:Nominated
Diversity in Media Awards	15 September 2017	Film of the Year	High-Rise	Template:Nominated

See also

• Snowpiercer – a 2013 motion picture that depicts class conflict through an allegory of society.

External links

• High-Rise on Rotten Tomatoes