Today’s quick review: The High Cost of Living. Henry Welles (Zach Braff), a kind-hearted drug dealer, makes the worst mistake of his life when he hits Nathalie Beauchamp (Isabelle Blais) with his car, causing her to miscarry her baby. Days later, Henry approaches Nathalie and helps her put her life back together without telling her that he was the one who hit her. But as their relationship grows, Henry becomes wracked with guilt over his secret.
The High Cost of Living is a drama about a hit-and-run accident that brings together two very different people. One moment of irresponsibility changes the way Henry sees himself and drives him to make amends. Meanwhile, Nathalie sees her marriage to Michel (Patrick Labbe) crumble under the strain of her miscarriage. The High Cost of Living tells its story with skill, making a straightforward premise come alive thanks to its characters and tone.
The High Cost of Living has a knack for making its characters likable. Henry lives just outside of the law, but the way he cares for Nathalie and deals with his clients shows that he has a compassionate heart. For her part, Nathalie shows the strain of a failing relationship even before the accident, and afterward, she has to rebuild herself with Henry’s help. The characters are simple, believable, and well worth spending time with.
As for its story, The High Cost of Living sticks to the basics but handles them well. There are no major plot twists, only Nathalie’s healing process and the growing pressure on Henry to come clean. The movie sets up a nice moral dilemma for Henry, making it so that any attempt to tell the truth will risk undoing the good he has done. Beyond that, The High Cost of Living relies on its well-developed characters and solid dialogue to carry it.
The High Cost of Living is a fine pick for anyone in the mood for a realistic drama. The movie does a good job of balancing its tone, handling a realistic tragedy with care while still having enough light and humanity that it’s not too taxing a watch. Not everyone will appreciate the personal stakes of the story, but viewers who are onboard with the premise will find it to be a tidy, satisfying story.
For a similar drama about the moral and emotional fallout of an accident, try 21 Grams.
[6.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1479388/). I give it a 7.0 for sound character work and a cleanly executed story.