A wise writer once said to me “that everybody has the ability to write an autobiography, but not everyone has a life or story interesting enough to make people want to read it.” I don’t think I ever fully understood what he meant until I saw Higher Ground. Based on Carolyn S. Brigg’s memoir poor old Higher Ground may raise some interesting points but for the most part putts along like a midday TV movie.
The film follows Corinne (Vera Farmiga – Source Code, Henry’s Crime) as she struggles with love and faith in the Bible Belt of America. She learns about God from an early age but doesn’t really become religious until her and her husband, Ethan (Shark Night 3D, Treatment) nearly use their first child in an accident. Ethan and Corinne then become deeply religious, however Corinne still desperately struggles especially as she tries to be as ‘religious and righteous’ as her best friend, Annika (Dagmara Dominczyk – TV’S The Good Wife & Suits).
Vera Farmiga makes her directional debut with Higher Ground and it’s unfortunate that she didn’t have a better script to work with. She does bring an interesting feel to the film and the scenes involving the baptisms is enough to show that Farmiga has her own style (and an interesting one at that) when it comes to filmmaking but unfortunately the script is a real let down. The relationship between Corinne and Ethan is an interesting one and introducing characters such as Liam (Sean Mahon – TV’S Then When We Got Help! & Army Wives) only makes it more interesting, however there just simply isn’t enough in the film to keep you interested the whole time. Corinne’s struggle with faith is a great centre-point but apart from that there is little other ‘meat’ to the film and the ending is frustrating beyond disappointing.
Acting-wise Farmiga does a wonderful job… and she proves that she is one of the few people out there that has the skills to direct a movie that she is also acting in. She is well supported by Joshua Leonard who steals most of the scenes that he is in. The same can be said for Sean Mahon who uses his role to scream out to Hollywood to sit up and take notice of him as a romantic lead.
Higher Ground really could have been a better film but unfortunately it never lifts itself above the TV movie feeling. The faith struggle will hold interest for some, but it is hard to see this film gaining a legion of films. This is one of those films that you simply wait for to come out on DVD.
Year: 2011
Director: Vera Farmiga
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Dagmara Dominczyk, Joshua Leonard, Sean Mahon
Classification: M
Runtime: 111 mins
Rating: 