High Heels and Low Lifes (2001)

High Heels and Low Lifes is the kind of cheeky London crime caper that wins you over on sheer nerve: two ordinary friends make one spectacularly bad decision and then keep doubling down with a grin. Mel Smith keeps the pace lively and the tone playfully implausible, letting the movie bounce between close-call suspense and comedy that comes from watching amateurs bluff their way through professional danger. Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack have an easy, sparky chemistry that makes the friendship feel like the real engine of the story, even as the criminals close in and the set-pieces get punchier. It’s not for anyone craving gritty realism, but if you’re in the mood for a breezy, entertaining ride with sharp energy and a mischievous streak, this is a very pleasant getaway.

High Heels and Low Lifes wants to be a cheeky British crime caper: two friends overhear a heist, get greedy, and try to outplay men with guns using nerve and improvisation. The problem is it often confuses loud, frantic energy for actual comedy or suspense, so the plot feels messy and increasingly implausible rather than cleverly escalating. Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack have a likable buddy dynamic and there are a few fun London-crime-movie touches, but the film rarely lands its big beats with the snap it’s aiming for. If you enjoy scrappy, slightly cartoonish capers and can forgive logic gaps for attitude, you might have a decent time; if you want tight plotting, real tension, or genuinely sharp laughs, this will likely feel stale and shrill.