Denzel Washtington in “Highest 2 Lowest.”
Apple Original Films/A24
Highest 2 Lowest — director Spike Lee’s latest film collaboration with Denzel Washington — is coming to streaming this week.
Rated R, Highest 2 Lowest opened in theaters in limited release on Aug. 15. The official summary for Highest 2 Lowest reads, “When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the ‘best ears in the business,’ is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
“Brothers Denzel Washington and Spike Lee reunite for the 5th in their long working relationship for a reinterpretation of the great filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low, now played out on the mean streets of modern-day New York City.”
Highest 2 Lowest, which was distributed in theaters by A24, also stars Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, Ilfenesh Hadera and Wendell Pierce. The film held its worldwide premiere at the 2025 Cannes International Film Festival.
Highest 2 Lowest studio Apple Original Films previously announced that the film will debut on streaming video on demand on AppleTV+ on Friday, Sept. 5.
For viewers who don’t subscribe to AppleTV+, the streaming platform offers an ad-free package for all programming for $12.99 per month or $99.99 per year after a free seven-day trial.
How Did Audiences And Critics Receive ‘Highest 2 Lowest’?
Highest 2 Lowest made $1.5 million in its limited box office run, according to The Numbers. The film’s production budget number before prints and advertising costs has not been released.
Highest 2 Lowest earned an 89% “fresh” rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics based on 175 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads, “Spike Lee and Denzel Washington remix a classic with vibrantly contemporary results in Highest 2 Lowest, a swaggering thriller that lovingly showcases New York City.”
In addition, audiences on RT gave Highest 2 Lowest an 85% “fresh” Popcornmeter score based on 1,000-plus verified user ratings.
The RT audience summary reads, “Spike and Denzel are the lean, mean engine behind Highest 2 Lowest, a cultural gem that cruises through the heart of New York City blasting cool tunes and delivering an unforgettable ride that’s got soul, style and swagger.”
Rated R, Highest 2 Lowest begins streaming Friday on AppleTV+.