High Heels and Low Lifes (2001)

I wanted to but couldn't!

Fresh and Exciting

Captivating movie !

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

This movie was a complete delight surprise. Under its ugly title, there's a very funny movie, upgraded by its British background. As it happens that I like both Minnie and UK, I really appreciated it. The basic idea of turning girlish friends into blackmailers for the good cause is really intelligent and original. With Minnie and her friend, they found a great duo. Their characterization is very accurate because their plan sounds realistic and they are great standing up when things falls apart. Along them, you can find an excellent dark crook and some future Harry Potter wannabees (Mr Weasley and Dumbledore himself!). All the action is shot live in London and you can get some good slices of it, from the luxury mansion to modern flats, to train station from hospital, parks and aerial shoots.

Not having a clue as to what this film was about, we took a chance when it showed on cable recently. It appears "High Heels and Low Lives", directed by comic actor Mel Smith, must have gone directly into video, or at least, we don't recall it having played commercially in the States.The film offers an unusual pair of Thelma and Louise wannabes, who learn about a gang having a great fortune gotten from a robbery and decide to take things in their own hands to outsmart the criminals in order to steal their cash without much effort. Shannon, a nurse, befriends a struggling American actress, Frances, even teaching her how to speak with the proper accent. Both women succeed in unexpected ways to get away with the loot.The film works because of the chemistry between Minnie Driver, who plays Shannon, and Mary McCormack, seen as Frances. This was a felicitous pairing because of the fun they must have had making the movie. Kevin McNally appears as Mason, a criminal without any redeeming qualities and who deserves to be outwitted by the women. Michael Gambon has a great time impersonating Kerrigan, an aging gay mobster. Mr. Gambon usually seen in heavier parts, contributes to the success of this movie that doesn't pretend to be anything but a fun time for the fans not looking into a complicated time with a DVD.

It is not often that I use this word in film reviews, but High Heels and Low Lifes was a very cute movie. While it did follow a very formulaic caper approach, there were elements that were very original and stood out in this film. It had a crisp semi-humorous story coupled with two actresses that were very into their roles. There were some dark elements that I was not expecting when they were dealing with the gangsters that kept my attention until the very end. This was one of those films where you knew exactly how it was going to end, but you still had fun watching your characters get there. This film was a no-brainer, but in a good sense. If you are looking for a fun, caper film that takes no energy to watch than this is the film for you. That is exactly what I was looking for when I watched this film, and it worked perfectly. Let me tell you why.My biggest satisfaction from this film came from the very unrealistic portrayal of London's dark underbelly. It begins with a very sinister retrospect on the crime in this populated city with images of hardcore robbers doing what they do best. That is the last glimpse we have of that world because by the end of the film the darkness sheds to light and we are handed a fantasy world all our own. The bad guys go from their darkened world and into mansions full of color, ambition, and cartoon blunders. It is this sense of unreality that kept me focused on this film. Here we have two women that are having this 'movie' adventure while hiding in bushes, wearing dark sunglasses, and fighting with guys in the cow pastures, yet on the other hand we have these criminals that truly want to kill them. There are huge guns fired, people get shot, and there are even some literal explosions. It reminded me of when Elmer Fudd was hunting for Bugs Bunny. There is some horror to the realization that Fudd only wants to 'kill the rabbit', but there is humor in the unrealistic events that occur due to Bugs' outlandish style and Fudd's ignorance. So, when you look at the cover of this film, do not be fooled. What I am trying to say here is that the unreal story is what kept my attention. I don't know if the writers wanted to create a real world with these heroes, but in my eyes they didn't. This was a fictional story, and I couldn't see this happening in real life … and that worked for me.I must say that Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack are not at the top of Hollywood players list, but they seemed to carry themselves well in this picture. I think the reason that they worked was because it was a small film. Driver and McCormack do better in these small budgeted films than they do in the blockbusters. I don't think I have ever seen a big-budget Minnie Driver film that I would say was 'amazing', and the same goes for McCormack. High Heels and Low Lifes is their type of film. Thankfully, director Mel Smith knows that and knew what he had to work with. He keeps the tone low on this film, making the humor not laugh-out-loud, but grinable. There wasn't really anything spectacular about the direction of this film, and that was perfect for this film. At times directors of these smaller films try to reach out and become to artsy with their craft, this was not the case here. Smith stayed on the path of this film and worked his magic with the greatest of ease. He was not trying to go over the top, but yet successfully kept this film from sinking.Overall, this was a 'cute' film. I will use that word again because I cannot think of a better way to describe this simple film. It was easy on the eyes and on the mind, and if you are in the mood for that style of film than High Heel and Low Lifes will provide it. Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack play off each other exceptionally well while Mel Smith eases behind the camera. There is nothing spectacular about this film. I probably will never see it again, but it was worth watching once. It is always good to have these types of films around. Those that do not try to go overboard, yet give you exactly what you went in looking for. I was impressed.Grade: *** out of *****

This movie starts out unremarkable, but it gets better, so stick with it. It is alternately silly (mostly in the first and last 15 minutes) and edgy (in the middle), but if you can ignore the various implausibilities (why would such a well-organized and highly professional team of robbers have such a moron as their lookout in the first place?) it's fun, with engaging performances particularly by Minnie Driver and Kevin McNally (who does the right thing by playing his role straight). In any case, it is much better than the very similar and mean-spirited "Beautiful Creatures" from the same year. (**1/2)