the hi-line
“Judkins paints his characters with respect, allowing them to hold on to their isolated world without losing their dignity. These are not smart people, but they’re good people, and through the performances of the actors, we grow to care about them. Although their
story seems familiar, on closer inspection, it is entirely unique.”
Sarah Hepola, The Austin Chronicle
“Beautifully photographed and performed… Judkins has a superb grasp
of the grammar of cinema.”
Patrick Z. McGavin, The Hollywood Reporter
“The Hi-Line” has the feel of a Carson McCullers short story
transplanted from the Southern environs to colder climes.
Emotions run ragged and even painfully raw…”
Caroline Palmer, The Minneapolis City Pages
“Almost sensory in its impact, The Hi-Line utilizes a carefully-built narrative to create a budding love story that becomes magical in its resolution. With a striking visual sensibility and a capacity for simple but
real characterization, The Hi-Line resonates with a truth and
tenderness that transport you into its realm.”
Geoffrey Gillmore, The Sundance Institute
Newcomer Alosio turns out a very impressive performance as a man
struggling not to become a drifter, while
Rachael Leigh Cook acts up a very quiet storm…
James Brundage, www.filmcritic.com
“A moving, well-acted and powerful story of loss and recovery, of embarking on a life adventure when a search for self
scares more than anything. A welcome shove at the soul.”
Dan Bennet, North County Times
“A sensitive performance piece, ‘The Hi-Line’ is as effective in creating
a sense of place as it is in developing its lead characters.”
Alison Macor, The Austin American-Statesman
Judkins’ amazingly assured first feature is one of those deceptive
movies where nothing much happens... but everything does--
Cook’s stunning performance, full of exquisitely fragile
emotional vulnerability, simply leaps off the screen and
rips your heart to shreds.
Anthony Allison, www.LVCitilife.com
“It is a wintry, severe, and confrontational work with a very good
performance by Rachael Leigh Cook and a better one by Ryan Alosio!”
Peter Karp, The Canberra Times, Queensland, Australia
“The Hi-Line tells a simple story which connects with common
human concerns and questions about the nature of identity…
this theme and the sincerely of its telling, should strike a
universal chord with viewers.”
Shane Lewis, MC - A Journal of Media and Culture
official selection 1999 Sundance Film Festival / Dramatic Competition
winner of the “Audience Award” at the 1999 Austin Film Festival
winner “Best Feature” at the 2000 Heartland Film Festival
winner of the “Best Actress Award” and “Cinematography Award”
at the 2000 Santa Monica Film Festival
2000 Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival,
2000 Palm Beach International Film Festival
1999 Raindance Festival, London, UK,
1999 Norwegian International Film Festival
Festival do Rio 99, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
1999 Noosa Film Festival, Queensland, Australia
2000 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic
available on DVD
by emailing