Jimmy needs $900 to clear a gambling debt but a series of lies leads to Ray trying to raise the cash from friends who owe him money.Jimmy needs $900 to clear a gambling debt but a series of lies leads to Ray trying to raise the cash from friends who owe him money.Jimmy needs $900 to clear a gambling debt but a series of lies leads to Ray trying to raise the cash from friends who owe him money.
J. Tucker Smith
- Adrien
- (as Tucker Smith)
Anne DeSalvo
- Sherry
- (as Anne De Salvo)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDevon Sorvari's debut.
- GoofsDuring the fight between Ray and Santa, Santa's hat is knocked off his head in the bar. When they continue the fight on the street Santa's hat reappears on the sidewalk.
- Crazy creditsAt the end of the credits, the carolers from the movie sing a few Christmas carols at the camera, then wish a Merry Christmas.
- ConnectionsReferences It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Featured review
Hi-life is a quiet movie. It has a combination of good acting, a pleasing script, and its completely unpretentious.
A good comparison would be to "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman, and in some ways this is a sort of urban version.
The characterizations are wonderful. Ray the bartender seems a rather hard unyielding type, but as the movie progresses we find out he's anything but unsympathetic.
Peter Reigert has a wonderful character part as a barfly-come-debt-enforcer who dishes out advice on women that he doesn't follow.
Charles Durning has a great little role as "Fatty", and I couldn't leave off discussing acting without mentioning the late Katrin Cartlidge, who gives a lovely performance as a lush with a crush.
All in all, even if you don't care for quiet little movies, put this one on the tube at Christmas time.
A good comparison would be to "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman, and in some ways this is a sort of urban version.
The characterizations are wonderful. Ray the bartender seems a rather hard unyielding type, but as the movie progresses we find out he's anything but unsympathetic.
Peter Reigert has a wonderful character part as a barfly-come-debt-enforcer who dishes out advice on women that he doesn't follow.
Charles Durning has a great little role as "Fatty", and I couldn't leave off discussing acting without mentioning the late Katrin Cartlidge, who gives a lovely performance as a lush with a crush.
All in all, even if you don't care for quiet little movies, put this one on the tube at Christmas time.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- El juego de las mentiras
- Filming locations
- 477 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(Hi-Life Bar & Grill)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $9,066
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,773
- Dec 6, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $9,066
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