Higher Ground
United States
2011
123 Min
Color
English
Synopsis
Charting one woman’s spiritual journey through life while exploring and embracing her own humanity, Higher Ground is that rare film that is rich in ideas but also charged with emotion.
As a child growing up in the 1960s, Corrine’s defining feature is her sense of inadequacy. When she reaches high school, her home life begins to unravel, driving her into the arms of Ethan, a guitarist in a local band. An event propels them to join a small fundamentalist community where they find meaning and stability. But some of its more conservative tenets leave Corinne unsettled, driving her into a profound crisis of faith that turns her world upside down.
Vera Farmiga gives yet another richly nuanced performance, but this time she unleashes her equally formidable talent behind the camera as well. She tackles complex issues with sophistication and graceful insight, crafting a moving story about the transformative powers of faith and doubt. –Sundance Film Festival
Director
Vera Farmiga
An Oscar-nominated and award-winning actress, Vera Farmiga makes her directorial debut with Higher Ground. She recently starred in Up in the Air, for which she received Academy Award, BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations. Her acting credits include The Departed, Orphan, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the upcoming Source Code and Henry’s Crime, and Down to the Bone, for which she received a Special Jury Prize for acting at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award nomination. –Sundance
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Melissa
22Apr12
The final scene knocked me dead - still have tears in my eyes. I thought this was overall a very powerful debut for Farmiga but it also serves as a strong reminder of just how gifted an actress she is.
speakingparts and Lorena like this
Brian Padian
7Mar12
this was made with genuine care and hops over a lot of potential land-mines. very surprised and impressed.
Prewitt
1Mar12
As a man of faith I always appreciate films that try to deal realistically with the issue......this one falls into the same trap as so many others....it presents those of faith as somehow unintelligent, uptight and backwards..in other words it reinforces stereotypes. I know many people of faith who are well educated and appreciate art and literature. I give it two stars for Farmiga's engrossing performance.
Christopher M. Jones likes this
Jesse Taylor
31Dec11
This film has a strong opening and conclusion, but it’s a little muddled in the middle. I think with a better director, this could have been a great film, but what it turned out to be was a lesson in directing for Farmiga.
Barbara likes this
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Articles
Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.
"Higher Ground," "Our Idiot Brother," More
By David Hudson on August 26, 2011
What the critics are saying about this week’s theatrical releases — and a few of last week’s as well.
Wrapping Sundance. 1. Dramatic Competitions
By David Hudson on February 7, 2011
Jamie Stuart spent much of his time in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival shooting interviews for Filmmaker and has now edited his
Blu-ray Review: HIGHER GROUND Grapples With Questions of Faith
By Twitchfilm.com on January 14, 2012
Vera Farmiga typically plays characters who are emotionally wise (or at least savvier than the people around her). From her New Jersey mom rescuing a child from a couple of vicious sexual predators in
Trailer Descends for Vera Farmiga's HIGHER GROUND
By Twitchfilm.com on December 17, 2011
Vera Farmiga’s Higher Ground is a sprawling drama about a woman searching for her religious identity over a large portion of her life. It’s an ambitious directorial debut that features particularly impressive
Vera Farmiga Talks About Being Human, Learning on the Job, and HIGHER GROUND
By Twitchfilm.com on December 16, 2011
“This is where Mommy works,” Vera Farmiga says to her childen, seated in a twin baby stroller pushed by her husband, Renn Hawkey. Farmiga lingers briefly with her family before entering a conference room
Vera Farmiga Talks Sitcoms, Spirituality, and HIGHER GROUND
By Twitchfilm.com on December 16, 2011
Higher Ground, which opens in New York and Los Angeles today, is a serious exploration of one woman’s search for spirituality, yet it displays a disarming sense of humor. Vera Farmiga, who directed and
HIGHER GROUND Review
By Twitchfilm.com on December 16, 2011
Rarely has an individual’s quest for spiritual understanding been dealt with in as warm, open, and non-judgmental a manner as Higher Ground, the directorial debut of Vera Farmiga. The film revolves around
HIGHER GROUND Review
By Twitchfilm.com on September 19, 2011
No, that’s not a fervent Paul Williams giving charged testimony in the wilderness during the first moments of the intrepid “Higher Ground”. It’s actually Joshua Leonard, who obviously survived his Blair
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HIGHER GROUND [2011]
By Jesse Taylor on December 31, 2011
I had trouble with this film. I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much, but I do respect it. It was hard to get through most of it due to the subject matter, but I guess that was sort of the point. Sitting… read review
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Help me prioritize my cinema viewing
2 posts by 2 people
over 1 year ago