Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest pulses with swagger, music, and the weight of impossible choices. Starring the ever-charming Denzel Washington as David King, a music label owner, it portrays an episode of a music mogul’s life when everything he cares about is at stake.
David, whose grandson is wrongly kidnapped, wants to preserve his legacy, protect his family, and safeguard his future, all of which are in jeopardy because of the kidnapping. As he is pushed to the edge, he turns to his music idols Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin to decide whether he should pay the ransom to rescue his godson.
Known as someone with “the best ears in business”, David has dedicated his life to supporting talented artists. However, when his close friend and right-hand, Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright), asks David for $17.5 million, he ponders if he has given too much. This is the same amount of money that will help David gain decisive control of his own record. He is hesitant to pay the ransom and even gets into a fight with Paul. Washington’s performance in these moments particularly shines, bringing his trademark swagger and assuming the form of a man who is so heavy with burden that the actor disappears into the man.
Wright matches up to Washington’s stellar performance. Wright navigates vulnerability, helplessness, and loyalty with finesse for a character who has endured extreme life situations. ASAP Rocky, who plays Yung Felon, makes a mark with his acting debut. He plays a tortured, directionless, and talented rapper, whose lack of conviction leads to his downfall. Rocky doesn’t venture far from his real-life self to portray the rapper. Yet, he imbues particular mannerisms for the character. The film also gives space to supporting characters—the police, David’s business partners, family members—to tell a holistic story. The story is structured in a way that all these characters suffocate and push David into a corner.
An extensive scene where David has to take the subway is where Spike Lee finds a way to build his New York. The train is filled with baseball fans travelling to a game, shouting chants against their opponents. The route is also filled with the Puerto Rican Day Parade, graced by Rosie Perez, a Lee regular, Anthony Ramos, and Eddie Palmieri and his band. Lee blends all of this seamlessly while building up a chase. Lee’s love for New York is evident in the scene. He also uses his signature double-dolly shots to transport the viewer into the mind of the character. While the comparisons to Akira Kurosawa’s original film still hang over the remake, Lee still manages to tell an original, engaging story.