Heights

If you've been missing Glenn Close and if you like New York City and if you are into Byzantine relationships involving secrets and betrayal, this movie is for you.

Ms. Close plays a famous movie actress, Diana, who is currently doing stage work and is in the process of preparing to direct one play while at the same time rehearsing to play Lady Macbeth in a more mainstream production. She hs a daughter, Isabel (Elizabeth Banks), who is a talented young photographer in search of her first big break. Isabel's wedding to her live-in boyfriend, Jonathan (James Marsden), a young attorney.

We soon learn that Diana is in an open marriage and has a wandering eye that favors men half her age. She uses her celebrity and what (little) remains of her good looks to attract and seduce them. She sets her sights on a young actor, Alec (Jesse Bradford), who auditions for a part in the play she will be directing. For reasons unknown at first, he is uncomfortable to find out she is the director and much less comfortable when she makes rather obvious attempts at advances with him. Later on, of course, we discover why.

Diana seems unsure about Isabel's impending marriage and questions the wisdom of it several times, while professing to like Jonathan.

The catalyst for the events in this story is the appearance on the scene of a journalist assigned by a Vanity Fair editor to write an article about a famous gay photographer who will be exhibiting his nude portraits of young men. It's well known that he had an active sexual life involving his models.

The journalist interviews a number of young men, one of whom invites him to a party Diana is throwing that evening. This is where things start unraveling for a number of people in the story, with some characters' relationships coming unglued, opening up new possibilities for some, changing the course of their lives for others.

Deep dark secrets are discovered and hidden betrayals are revealed.

This movie, like one of Woody Allen's more serious efforts, studies characters most of us won't be able to relate to, not just because we don't live in New York City, but because even if we did, we probably wouldn't be moving in Diana's circles.

It's an excellent movie, unremittingly well acted, and totally fascinating. With much enthusiasm, I recommend it.