Spike Lee Returns to Cannes with Neo-Noir Thriller “Highest 2 Lowest”
The 78th Cannes Film Festival welcomed back legendary filmmaker Spike Lee with his latest project “Highest 2 Lowest,” an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic “High and Low.” The neo-noir crime thriller, which premiered out of competition on May 19, 2025, brings together an impressive ensemble cast led by Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright, alongside newcomers like rapper ASAP Rocky and Ice Spice in her acting debut.
A Love Letter to New York
During the film’s press conference, it became clear that “Highest 2 Lowest” is as much a declaration of love to New York City as it is a tribute to Kurosawa’s filmmaking legacy. Lee, who has been chronicling the city’s streets since the 1980s, brings his unmistakable visual style to this adaptation.
“There is such a connection between who Saito is [in the original film] and who Spike is,” remarked Jeffrey Wright, who plays Paul Christopher in the film. “He is a person of every person on every corner of the city.”
Wright’s admiration for Lee’s portrayal of their shared hometown was evident: “No one photographs New York like Spike.”
From Kurosawa to Brooklyn
Taking on a reinterpretation of Kurosawa’s work is no small feat, but Lee appears to have embraced the challenge. The original film explored moral dilemmas through the story of a wealthy executive faced with an impossible choice when kidnappers mistakenly abduct his chauffeur’s son instead of his own. Lee’s version, written by William Alan Fox, updates this premise with Denzel Washington as David King, a business executive navigating similar ethical waters in contemporary America.
The adaptation tackles evolving ethics and morals in modern society—themes that resonate strongly in today’s social media-dominated landscape. Although Lee mentioned he “was not a part of this film” initially, as it had been through “many writers and directors” before him, he clearly took ownership of the project once he received the call to direct.
Family Connections and Unexpected Collaborations
In a touching behind-the-scenes revelation, Wright shared that his son Elijah (who plays Kyle Christopher in the film) was reading lines with Denzel Washington without his father’s knowledge.
Lee also spoke about his music selection process, revealing how social media occasionally leads to unexpected artistic collaborations. After discovering a song clip online that resonated with him, he pursued the artist for the film’s soundtrack, demonstrating how technology sometimes facilitates creative connections despite its pitfalls.
Critical Commentary on Social Media and American Values
The press conference took a more serious turn when Lee and Wright addressed the impact of social media on society. While Lee acknowledged the double-edged nature of these platforms—”I’m not gonna demonize the form”—he was careful with his critique, joking that his wife warned him to “be careful what you say.”
Wright offered a more pointed assessment: “There are reasons why many social media developers don’t allow their children on social media.” Drawing parallels to his work on the series “Westworld,” Wright suggested, “We live in this film now, and it will only intensify.”
He expressed concern about social media’s effect on public discourse: “We are increasingly unable to agree on facts… There is no sense of the collective experience anymore. We could at least agree that we had an experience of watching a film together. But our social fabric is being manipulated.”
The Future of American Film Production
With productions increasingly moving overseas due to tax incentives and lower wages, the conversation inevitably turned to the state of the American film industry. Both Lee and Wright acknowledged the challenges facing workers in New York and Los Angeles.
“People are hurting whose lives depend on the film industry—no one is working,” Lee said, addressing recent proposals for national tax rebates and tariffs intended to bring filmmakers back to the U.S. While not offering specific policy solutions, Lee emphasized the importance of authenticity in location shooting: “There are some things you can’t replicate, like shooting in Brooklyn.”
Wright, currently working on a project in London, expanded on the economic impact of production relocations: “It’s carpenters, electricians, drivers, wardrobe, a whole army of people who come together, so the job losses can be significant.” He suggested that federal coordination of incentives across different state jurisdictions could help the American industry compete more effectively.
The Value of Hard Work in Filmmaking
Both Lee and Wright stressed the importance of dedication to the craft over accolades. “We don’t do our work for the awards,” Lee stated. “It’s the work that’s going to stand above all the awards. We continue building the body of work, whether we get the award or not.”
Lee shared insights from his teaching methods, revealing his emphasis on commitment and follow-through. “If one of my students says the word ‘try,’ I say never say ‘try’ and only ‘do.’ Words are very important. The word ‘try’ is a bad word, especially if we are filmmakers.”
This philosophy has informed Lee’s approach since his early days as a filmmaker, when “all we wanted was equipment” to make films. His longstanding collaboration with cinematographer Ernest Dickerson (referred to as “Maddie Laboutique” in the notes) exemplifies this ethos: “We had a partnership and we are so close and we didn’t need to have a long dialogue. He is a DP who understands the schedule and that we don’t have 10 hours to light the shot. We gotta go, but we don’t lose anything by moving fast.”
Looking Forward
“Highest 2 Lowest” is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States by A24 on August 22, 2025, before becoming available on Apple TV+ on September 5, 2025. The film’s premiere at Cannes marks another milestone in Lee’s storied career, which has seen him return to the festival numerous times since 1999.
With its stellar cast including Ilfenesh Hadera as Pam King, ASAP Rocky as Yung Felony, and performances from Dean Winters, John Douglas Thompson, LaChanze, and Wendell Pierce, “Highest 2 Lowest” promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of morality in modern America, filtered through Lee’s distinctive Brooklyn lens.
As Lee summarized the moral complexity at the heart of the film: “We all have our own morals of what you’ll do for money. That’s what makes Kurosawa films so great. This man was put in a moral dilemma.” It’s this universal ethical quandary, reimagined for today’s America, that drives the narrative of “Highest 2 Lowest.”
Editor in Chief of Ikon London Magazine, journalist, film producer and founder of The DAFTA Film Awards (The DAFTAs).
