Highpoint (1984)

Must See Movie...

Absolutely Fantastic

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This movie is pretty terrible, but I gave it an 8 out of 10 because hidden away inside it is a great little (shorter) movie.If you: * take out all the scenes with Maury Chayken and Saul Rubinek (who are fine actors, but most certainly not here)* take out all the speed-up-the-movie-for-humor scenes (most notably the chase through Quebec - indeed, drop most of that chase entirely)* take out everything before the opening credits (that is, the tedious 'backstory', which is explained just fine later in the movie -- indeed better.)* leave in everything with Richard Harris and Christopher Plummer (who appear to have someone else writing their dialog from the pretty awful stuff written for everybody else.)... then there's a cracking good fish-out-of-water story joined with a swashbuckler trying one game too many.So, be ready with the fast-forward button, and you might just have a good hour or so.

Obscure Canadian comedy (belatedly released in 1984 after sitting in the canister since 1980) with Harris as a mild mannered accountant who inadvertently saves the life of drunken Beverly D'Angelo, resulting in being employed by the family matriarch (Reid) to manage their ill-gotten gains. Meanwhile, estranged brother and former heir to the fortune (Plummer) is desperate to get his hands on the stash, as are two hoodlums (Chaykin and Rubinek) working for mobster Peter Donat, and the CIA (Gammell).Some amazing car chases and a rousing finale atop Toronto's Needlepoint tower (hence the title) are action bookends to what is an engaging, humorous and action-filled 85 minutes. The stunt-work is addictive and enough itself to warrant another viewing (particularly the nail-biting climax).Chaykin and Rubinek make a likable pair of nitwit goons, and the appearance of Harris, Plummer and D'Angelo lend a certain prestige that can't easily be ignored. Not especially sophisticated in its humour (largely slapstick and situational), "Highpoint" earns a laugh or two without pretense or self indulgence and I found it highly entertaining. Arguably Harris' best of a bad lot during the eighties, if that's a useful benchmark.

I saw this movie while studying in Edinburgh in the 80's. Loved it too. A light and fairly fluffy storyline with the prerequisite villain and good guy formula to the fore. However, the "highpoint" for me was the car chase featuring an MGB GT convertible doing some very silly stuff. Great action, and a spectacular end to this chase. Also, one little line from the movie is still quoted by my brother and I all these years later - when Harris goes to make a tricky maneuver in his car, he tells his passenger to put on her safety belt as he's about to do a "Brodie", and then yanks on the handbrake and spins the car in the middle of the road. Fun film, dated now but the CN Tower stunt is scary when you realise that someone actually did the jump, AND got paid handsomely for the privilege.

Peter Carter's last film (The late director of Rituals, Wolf Dog and The Intruder Within) directs this comedy and action film with Richard Harris as an undercover cop. Some of the scenes could very well be funny another film like this was made called Kuffs with Christian Slater. Carter supposely died of a Heart Attack shortly after this films release.