High Life
High Life is set in 1983, the year of the automatic teller machine, a revolution in banking and an easy target for four career criminals except for one thing – they only have one brain among them. That belongs to Dick (Timothy Olyphant) who seems only mildly psychopathic compared to his former cell mate Bug (Stephen Eric McIntyre). Bug got Dick fired from his janitor job at the hospital which left them without a supply or funds to support their morphine addiction and the new cash machines seem the victimless crime just waiting to take care of their needs. Their plan requires them to enlist the aid of the light fingered Donnie (Joe Anderson) and pretty boy confidence man Billy (Rossif Sutherland). When hilarious circumstances conspire against them Bug hastily implements a bloody plan B. Oliphant’s subtle efficient acting continues to impress here and is a welcome addition to this Canadian production which has a lot of great white north references from April Wine music to its wintry location (Winnipeg) to Vancouver’s Rossif Sutherland, grandson of Tommy Douglas. However like many worthwhile Canadian productions it has the feel of grant money running out as at 88 minutes it could have been fleshed out a bit. Certainly the writers are talented enough to have given High Life just a little more life.