High Heels and Low Lifes (2001)

20% of critics liked it
(30 reviews)
45% of users liked it
(3,863 ratings)

In this broad comedy from sometime comic actor Mel Smith (The Tall Guy), two women find themselves fleeing criminals. Minnie Driver stars as Shannon, a London nurse who finds her boyfriend Ray (Darren Boyd), a "sound sculptor," becoming increasingly dull and inattentive. When he forgets her… More In this broad comedy from sometime comic actor Mel Smith (The Tall Guy), two women find themselves fleeing criminals. Minnie Driver stars as Shannon, a London nurse who finds her boyfriend Ray (Darren Boyd), a "sound sculptor," becoming increasingly dull and inattentive. When he forgets her birthday, she decides to hit the town with best pal Frances (Mary McCormack), an American actress wasting her time in a terrible small-theater production. Returning to Shannon's apartment, the girls overhear a cell phone conversation on Ray's scanner chronicling the ten million dollars stolen from a safe-deposit box. When police are uninterested in their information, the girls get an idea to blackmail the robbers to get a share. The criminals, led by the hard-as-nails Mason (Kevin McNally), counteract with their own scheme, and the caper begins to go wildly out of control. Similarly plotted to the 2001 release Beautiful Creatures, but much lighter in tone than that dark suspense thriller, the film co-stars Michael Gambon, Danny Dyer, and Mark Williams. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Mel Smith
Written By: Kim Fuller
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 26, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Apr 9, 2002
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures

Critic Reviews

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle
Like the designer suits Driver wears despite her character's meager earnings, High Heels and Low Lifes isn't about reality; it's playing dress- up.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
There are, however, no highs in High Heels and Low Lifes. Just lows.
Kevin Maynard, Mr. Showbiz
A mostly smart attempt to resurrect Ealing Studios-style hijinks.
Mark Adams, Hollywood Reporter
A refreshingly engaging British movie that isn't afraid to go all out for laughs and thrills, leaving its social conscience behind.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
You can't help feel that the director settled for smirks when he could've had bellylaughs.
Scott Weinberg, DVD Clinic
If ever a mediocre movie was elevated by its two leading ladies, it's this one.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Won't leave audiences with too many bad memories--mostly because it evaporates from memory as soon as the closing crawl begins.
, BeatBoxBetty.com
It's the charming wit and screen presence of McCormack that saves this picture from being a total mess.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
With the tiny I.Q.s of the characters in this film, it wouldn't have been much harder for the likes of Laverne and Shirley to pull off the same joyless stunt.
Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review
Driver and McCormack make appealing heroines, and Kevin McNally and Michael Gambon are gratifyingly menacing villains.
Chris Wiegand, Boxoffice Magazine
Distinctly low on laughs and, despite a running time of only 86 minutes, far outstays its welcome.