Heights

MPAA Rating: R

Entertainment: +1 1/2

Content: -2 1/2

In a drama that follows the interpersonal relationships of five characters through a 24-hour day, Isabel (Elizabeth Banks) and Jonathan (James Marsden) are preparing for marriage. Their past choices and future opportunities cause them to question their life together. Diana (Glenn Close), Isabels mother, is a noteworthy theatrical director and actress. As she sees her daughter preparing for marriage, she regrets the open marriage that she now has with her unfaithful husband. Alec (Jesse Bradford), a young unknown actor, tries out for one of Dianas productions. While he admires her professionally, she hopes that he will desire her physically. Peter (John Light), a journalist, seeks to chronicle the life of a famous photographer with a colorful past. With the city of New York as their backdrop, the connections between these characters reach new heights, requiring a life-direction decision from each on the next day.

The beginning of this big-screen soap opera leads viewers to believe that its a love story about Jonathan and Isabel, who are living together outside of wedlock. But as each subsequent character is introduced, the moral decay in this film goes deeper and deeper. Diana encourages her drama students to live life with passion and to be consumed with desire, whereas shes deficient in those areas in her own life. A countless number of male models have been sexually manipulated by a famous photographer in their past. As Peter seeks to chronicle the life of this now legendary photographer, the male models recount their former relationships with great venom, seeking vengeance. Heights sends no clear moral messages and receives Previews negative rating for abhorrent sexual content, including some pictorial displays of frontal male nudity, and unfortunate use of profanity and obscene language, including 19 f-words.

Preview Reviewer: Brian Hughes
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classic

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Few times (4) mild (hell 2, nipple 1); strong (SOB 1)

Obscene Language: Many times (30) moderate (s-ck 1, scr-w 1, hard-on 1); strong (f-word 19, s-word 7, BS 1)

Profanity: Many times (10) moderate (OMG 1, thank G 1); strong (GD 3, J 1, C 1, C-sake 3)

Violence: Few times mild (verbal exclamation Im going to kill her); moderate (woman is mugged; man is stabbed in the stomach)

Sex: Few times mild (assumed sexual activity between man and woman not yet married, assumed sexual activity between male and female actors)

Nudity: Several times mild (woman in bra and underwear, man in underwear and shirtless); moderate (unclothed male models in a photograph catalog); strong (uncovered male genitals in artistic portrayal in a photograph catalog)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Many times mild (man shows interest in a woman out of pity, discussion of man having sex with other men); moderate (men discuss sexual experiences with one particular man that has had many male lovers); strong (two men talk about their relationship with each other)

Drugs: Many times mild (beer, wine, cigarettes are used in social settings throughout the film); moderate (drunken woman and drunken man portrayed; discussion of past experience smoking marijuana)

Other: Portrayal of a Jewish rabbi as a wise counselor and caring shepherd preparing a man and woman for their upcoming marriage; man discusses regrettable past experience, and the rabbi extends grace to the man; poor parental role models portrayed as believing that relational cheating is okay if infidelity is agreed upon first

Running Time: 93 minutes
Intended Audience: Adults

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