--- title: "High-Rise" year: 2015 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/high-rise" fi1m_id: "high-rise" imdb_id: "tt0462335" tmdb_id: 254302 wikidata_id: "Q16994014" fi1m_score: 58 critics_score: 57 critics_reviews: 23 published: "2026-10-22" updated: "2026-10-22T03:37:04.327483+00:00" region: "AR" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # High-Rise (2015) Directed by Ben Wheatley · 1h 59m · Drama ## Identity High-Rise - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/high-rise - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** high-rise - **IMDb ID:** tt0462335 - **TMDB ID:** 254302 - **Wikidata ID:** Q16994014 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462335/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/254302, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16994014 **Fi1m score: 58** · Critics 57 from 23 reviews *In a sentence:* A building full of people we would take the stairs to avoid > Ben Wheatley’s *High-Rise* has an unsettling building, an assured Tom Hiddleston and too little dramatic momentum. The production design keeps rewarding attention long after the class satire starts repeating itself. ## Synopsis Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston) lives in a residential tower where money and social standing shape relations between neighbours. Around him are Charlotte Melville (Sienna Miller), Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons) and Richard Wilder (Luke Evans), all sharing the building without sharing the same interests. Mirrored lifts connect interiors that mark out differences between classes. The doctor must find his place among residents whose divisions extend beyond their surroundings. Behind the promise of an ordered community, resentments gather, and the business of living alongside one another becomes a source of conflict. ## Review Ben Wheatley makes the building the main attraction in *High-Rise*, his adaptation of the novel by J.G. Ballard. That is an effective way into a story about class resentment, but it becomes a problem when the residents need to hold our attention. This is a sharply designed, intermittently funny film whose descent into disorder is too abrupt to carry much dramatic force. It establishes an unpleasant society, then spends too long showing us how unpleasant it can become. Production designer Mark Tildesley gives that society an immediately legible home, with interiors that make differences in status visible before anyone has to explain them. The mirrored lifts are especially effective, making a communal space feel like somewhere to inspect both yourself and the competition. We felt uneasy there, because the reflections make even standing beside another person seem uncomfortable. The building earns the attention it receives; the difficulty is getting equally interested in the people occupying it. Laurie Rose’s cinematography gives the class divisions distinct colours and keeps the images restless enough to suggest that the apparent order will not last. The individual compositions remain arresting even when the story starts to drift. Clint Mansell’s score sustains a sense of unease, although music cannot supply the missing steps between social friction and collective chaos. These are strong contributions, and the film gives us plenty of time to notice them as its dramatic momentum falters. Tom Hiddleston is well suited to Dr. Robert Laing, maintaining a composed presence amid the confusion without making the performance seem effortful. His restraint gives us someone to watch when the film becomes difficult to follow. Luke Evans, as Richard Wilder, has a more immediate force, and the scenes around him briefly make the conflict feel urgent again. But there is a limit to what either performance can do when the relationships keep getting overtaken by the next disturbance. Amy Jump’s screenplay has a dry, nasty sense of humour, particularly when social distinctions become excuses for cruelty. As editors, Amy Jump and Ben Wheatley push the film into disorder before the residents’ behaviour has prepared us for it. The montage passages make the escalation brisk, but they also leave too little time for one change in the community to register before the next arrives. We grew impatient because the film kept increasing the commotion without making the people caught in it more interesting. Class satire need not provide sympathetic characters, and there is no reason this one should reassure us about human nature. It does, however, need to make the differences between its people matter beyond the decor. Here the visual distinctions are clearer than the competing interests, and we lose track of what the residents want from one another. The black comedy offers occasional relief, but repetition reduces its bite and leaves the cast too little room to surprise us. At 119 minutes, *High-Rise* gives its disorder more room than it needs. There is enough craft here for viewers with a particular interest in abrasive satire, but not enough drama for us to recommend it more broadly. The early unease promises a more troubling evening than the film delivers. If sustained tension matters more than the decor, choose something else. *Fi1m score 58, published 22 October 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are divided on High-Rise, with admiration for its craft offset by frustration with its storytelling. Praise clusters around the production design and cinematography: the tower, its interiors and the use of colour impress even several detractors. Supporters also value Ben Wheatley’s dark humour and unruly energy, finding the excess appropriate to the class-war premise. Performances attract less consistent attention, though Tom Hiddleston earns praise across otherwise conflicting assessments. The central disagreement is whether the disorder serves the satire or makes it harder to follow. Even favourable reviews acknowledge uneven pacing and weak cohesion; harsher assessments find the film tedious, detached or politically blunt. The spread is wide rather than mildly mixed. HeyUGuys praises the clarity of its class divisions and its fidelity to Ballard, while Variety argues that both the class allegory and narrative logic break down. ## Straight answers **How long is High-Rise, and what is it rated?** *High-Rise* runs 1h 59m. It is a drama film. **Where can I watch High-Rise in Argentina?** *High-Rise* is not on any streaming or rental service in Argentina at the moment. It is available in 24 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **What should I watch after High-Rise?** After *High-Rise*, try [*The Exterminating Angel*](https://film.one/film/the-exterminating-angel) (1962, Fi1m 87): Enforced proximity exposes the cruelty beneath respectable manners, with more patience for absurdity. Then [*Playtime*](https://film.one/film/playtime) (1967, Fi1m 88): Modern architecture makes ordinary social contact difficult, though the comedy is considerably gentler; and [*The Servant*](https://film.one/film/the-servant) (1963, Fi1m 89): Domestic space becomes contested territory in a patient, uncomfortable examination of class and dependence. ### Reviews we read (23) - **Total Film**, Kevin Harley (4/5): Harley gives the film a positive verdict, despite its wobbly plot. He praises its singular style, dark wit, and striking production design. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/high-rise-review/) - **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (B): Kohn finds the film messy and incohesive but anarchically entertaining, with a vivid class-war premise. He especially praises its colorful production design and rock soundtrack. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/toronto-review-ben-wheatleys-high-rise-stars-tom-hiddleston-in-a-demented-class-war-58199/) - **Empire**, Nev Pierce (75/100, inferred): Pierce finds the adaptation bold, troubling and visually dazzling, though its story can become monotonous. He especially praises Wheatley and cinematographer Laurie Rose’s restless, arresting imagery. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/high-rise-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (75/100, inferred): Chang praises the film’s unruly excess as fitting its ambition, despite its incoherent storytelling. He singles out the tower’s striking design and the increasingly beautiful spectacle of its destruction. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-high-rise-review-20160506-snap-story.html) - **Screen Daily**, Fionnuala Halligan (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict or any specific praise or complaint. It identifies Ben Wheatley’s 2015 film as the subject of a review. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/high-rise-review/5093065.article) - **Radio Times**, Stephen Carty (3/5): The review is critical of the film’s shift into chaos, finding it too sudden. It singles out that abrupt turn as a key weakness. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-8bhmhs/highrise/) - **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): Wheatley’s adaptation is beautifully crafted and retro, but difficult to connect with. Its craftsmanship is praised, while the very literal approach to Ballard’s satire is suggested as a weakness. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/high-rise) - **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (2/4): Bowen finds the adaptation bombastic and reductive, stripping the source novel of its subtle social critique. He praises the striking mirrored elevators but says the film’s conspicuous style undermines its themes. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/high-rise/) - **The Guardian**, Henry Barnes (2/5): Barnes finds the film a less interesting, increasingly grating take on Ballard’s story. He praises Tom Hiddleston’s ease amid the confusion, while criticizing the unclear class divisions. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/14/high-rise-review-tom-hiddleston-ben-wheatley-jg-ballard-film-toronto-tiff) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (35/100, inferred): Jenkins finds the film alienating and formless despite its dazzling individual sequences. He particularly praises the production design, editing, performances and writing, while faulting the lack of cohesion holding them together. [Read](https://www.lwlies.com/festivals/high-rise-first-look-review) - **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (30/100, inferred): Sexton finds the film tedious and lacking dramatic impulse, despite its striking imagery. He singles out the source novel’s hypnotic prose as better suited to the vision. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/highrise-film-review-a-vision-better-conveyed-in-ballard-s-hypnotic-prose-a3206556.html) - **The New Yorker** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the adaptation stiff and ultimately unsuccessful. They fault Wheatley for privileging symbolism and degradation over telling a compelling story. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/high-rise-2) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (30/100, inferred): Debruge finds the adaptation flashy and frequently incoherent, concluding that its chaotic approach largely fails. He praises the arresting visuals but faults the film for letting its class allegory and narrative logic break down. [Read](https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/high-rise-film-review-1201592866/) - **Den of Geek**, Matthew Schuchman (4/5): The critic calls High-Rise a polarizing but brilliant modern masterpiece. He singles out its ravishing visuals and praises Ben Wheatley for making the building feel like a living participant. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/high-rise-review/) - **HeyUGuys** (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a perceptive and faithful adaptation of Ballard’s novel. They single out its sharp portrayal of class divisions and society’s fragility. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/high-rise-review/) - **Consequence**, Sarah Kurchak (75/100, inferred): Kurchak finds the film an original, daring, and audacious success overall, despite uneven pacing and an overly explicit ending. She praises its playfully demented takedown of civilization and its distinctive, twisted style. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/05/tiff-film-review-high-rise/) - **Paste**, Andy Crump (7.6): Crump finds the film a sly, observational take on class conflict, though its rapid escalation and pointed political message can feel overly obvious. He praises Wheatley’s heightened craft and gallows humor, especially the film’s sharp social observations. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/high-rise) - **Digital Spy**, Scarlett Russell (70/100, inferred): The review is strongly positive overall, though it feels the film runs at least 20 minutes too long. It praises the eclectic cast’s performances and the psychedelic photography. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a786940/high-rise-review-the-apocalypse-never-looked-prettier-than-in-tom-hiddlestons-dystopian-drama/) - **The Wrap** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds Wheatley’s adaptation hypnotizing and unnerving, with a bleak vision of social collapse. They single out Tom Hiddleston’s icy yet ultimately empathetic performance for praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/high-rise-review-tom-hiddleston-gets-skyscraper-views-of-the-apocalypse/) - **The Skinny**, Ian Mantgani (★★★): The critic finds High-Rise energetic but lurching and ultimately confused. They praise its colour and energy while faulting its handling of the film’s political commentary and disorder. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/uk-festivals/film/london-film-festival-high-rise-and-tangerine-review) - **The Playlist**, Kevin Jagernauth (C): The critic finds the film stylish but lacking in substance, with its thematic ambiguity and lengthy runtime making it hard to engage. He praises the cinematography, especially its visual distinctions between classes and memorable use of color. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-ben-wheatleys-high-rise-presents-middling-vision-madness-20160513/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (D-): Goldberg finds the film poorly constructed and incomprehensible, with its class commentary reduced to broad, blunt statements. He singles out Wheatley’s pitch-black comedy as an occasional glimpse of a more effective film. [Read](https://collider.com/high-rise-movie-review-tom-hiddleston-tiff-2015/) - **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (30/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film visually impressive but ultimately too detached and scattered to give its class-war story sufficient force. She praises Luke Evans’s Wilder as its most compelling element, while criticizing the central montage and the weakly grounded political references. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/high-rise-2015-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## Details - **Director:** Ben Wheatley - **Director:** Ben Wheatley - **Screenplay:** Amy Jump - **Novel:** J.G. Ballard - **Cinematography:** Laurie Rose - **Editor:** Ben Wheatley, Amy Jump - **Music:** Clint Mansell - **Production design:** Mark Tildesley - **Costume design:** Odile Dicks-Mireaux - **Producer:** Jeremy Thomas - **Cast:** Tom Hiddleston as Dr. Robert Laing; Elisabeth Moss as Helen Wilder; Sienna Miller as Charlotte Melville; Jeremy Irons as Anthony Royal; Luke Evans as Richard Wilder; Reece Shearsmith as Nathan Steele; Daniel Renton Skinner as Simmons; James Purefoy as Pangbourne - **Runtime:** 1h 59m - **First release (Canada):** 13 September 2015 - **Genres:** Drama - **Box office:** $4 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKPghZ5cc_E ## Where to watch in Argentina Not streaming, renting or buying in Argentina at the last check. Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, GB, IE, IT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - IFFR audience award 2016: IFFR audience award (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Exterminating Angel* (1962), Fi1m 87: Enforced proximity exposes the cruelty beneath respectable manners, with more patience for absurdity. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-exterminating-angel.md) - *Playtime* (1967), Fi1m 88: Modern architecture makes ordinary social contact difficult, though the comedy is considerably gentler. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/playtime.md) - *The Servant* (1963), Fi1m 89: Domestic space becomes contested territory in a patient, uncomfortable examination of class and dependence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-servant.md) - *The Platform* (2019): Another vertical society, with unequal access to food making its class divisions brutally clear. - *Parasite* (2019), Fi1m 91: Rooms, stairs and manners give its class conflict a precise, unnerving physical shape. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/parasite.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/high-rise