“Are you able to deal with the success? Are you able to deal with the love? That’s the query I’ve for you…”
Denzel Washington stars in Spike Lee‘s ode to Akira Kurosawa’s “Excessive and Low,” titled “Highest 2 Lowest.” The fifth movie between Lee and Washington has the actor return to a sort of “American Gangster” character as a NYC-based music mogul who warns of the “cash and mayhem” of stardom. A$AP Rocky stars as Yung Felon, the lead character within the reinterpretation of Kurosawa’s “Excessive and Low,” a couple of cobbler who’s extorted after his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom.
Whereas a lot of the plot for Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” stays beneath wraps, Lee teased that A$AP Rocky performs Washington’s onscreen son. “What’s humorous is that I used to be Instagram 4 or 5 years in the past and folks have been saying that A$AP appeared like he’s Denzel’s son,” Lee mentioned earlier this yr. “I seen these memes after which within the movie we used that.”
Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and Ice Spice additionally star within the Cannes-bound “Highest 2 Lowest.”
“A$AP, man, he fireplace,” Lee added of A$AP’s performing. “I imply, there’s some scenes the place him and D [Washington] face to face – he ain’t backing up. Like, ‘I’m right here too.’ So very, very pleased with the way in which the movie turned out and searching ahead to sharing it with the world.”
A$AP Rocky, whose actual identify is Rakim Mayers, made his performing debut within the 2015 coming-of-age movie “Dope.” He now stars in two A24 options out this yr: Sundance hit “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” and Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest.”
Lee reunites with longtime collaborator Washington for his or her fifth movie collectively. The duo beforehand collaborated on “Inside Man,” “Mo’ Higher Blues,” “Malcolm X,” and “He Obtained Sport.” The pair additionally reunite with producer Todd Black for “Highest 2 Lowest,” as Black produced Washington’s “Fences” and “Equalizer” movies.
Lee instructed Deadline that he screened “Highest 2 Lowest” for Martin Scorsese, and wrote that Scorsese “gushed about Denzel’s magnificent performing,” and that Scorsese was “so joyful” for Lee.
“Highest 2 Lowest” is an Apple Unique characteristic in partnership with A24, which plans to launch the movie theatrically earlier than it streams on Apple TV+. Alan Fox wrote the screenplay for “Highest 2 Lowest” with director Lee, who will govt produce by his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks banner.
“Highest 2 Lowest” will likely be launched August 22 from A24 adopted by Apple TV+ by way of Apple Unique Movies in September. Take a look at the teaser beneath. However first, the movie premieres out of competitors at Cannes in Could.