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High Art (1998) is an independent movie directed by Lisa Cholodenko and starring Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell.
Synopsis
Syd, 24, has her whole life mapped out in front of her. Living with longtime boyfriend, James, and working her way up at the well respected high art photography magazine "Frame" Syd's desires and frustrations seem typical and manageable. But when a crack in her ceiling springs a leak and Syd finds herself knocking on the door of her upstairs neighbor, a chance meeting suddenly takes Syd on a path she's never expected.
Opening the door to an uncharted world for Syd is Lucy Berliner. A renowned photographer, enchanting, elusive, and curiously retired at 40, Lucy lives with her once glamorous, heroin--addicted girlfriend, Greta, and plays host to a collection of hard living party kids. Before Syd's caught her breath, she's caught Lucy's fascination and is drawn into the center of Lucy's strangely alluring life upstairs.
When Syd's bosses at Frame catch wind of her acquaintance with Lucy, they suddenly take interest in Syd and pressure her to bring Lucy to the magazine. Soon a working relationship develops between the two and a project is underway which promises a second chance for Lucy's career. But as Syd and Lucy's collaboration draws them closer together, their working relationship turns sexual and the lines between love and professionalism suddenly blur. As Syd slowly discovers the darker truths of Lucy's life on the edge, she is forced to confront her own hunger for recognition and the uncertain rewards of public esteem.
Inflected with an edgy, urban realism, High Art moves beyond the high risk fantasy of Trainspotting and Drugstore Cowboy to offer up a realistic portrait of life on the borders. A psychologically searching film in the tradition of Midnight Cowboy, Five Easy Pieces and My Own Private Idaho, High Art delivers no easy answers, but rather poses the more complex questions pertinent to a generation searching for recognition and identity through love and profession.
Syd (Radha Mitchell) is an assistant editor of a photography magazine whose neighbour happens to be Lucy (Ally Sheedy). Syd finds out that Lucy is a photographer and tries to get her to publish her photos in Syd's magazine. However Lucy has left her professional photography career behind and lives a life of drug parties with her friends. She takes up the assignment for Syd and in turn asks her to be her editor.
Trivia
The character of Lucy Berliner (Ally Sheedy) was based on Nan Goldin's life and work.*
External links
- Official Site
- Movie reviews:
1998 films | American films | LGBT-related films | Independent films | Drama films
"High Art"