High Hopes (1989): cast, story & where to watch
1989 · Film · ★ 7.1
Released in 1989, High Hopes is a comedy and drama film directed by Mike Leigh, running about 108 minutes.
What it’s about. Slice-of-life look at a sweet working-class couple in London, Shirley and Cyril, his mother, who's aging quickly and becoming forgetful, mum's ghastly upper-middle-class neighbors, and Cyril's pretentious sister and philandering husband. Shirley wants a baby, but Cyril, who reads Marx and wants the world to be perfect, is reluctant. Cyril's mum locks herself out and must ask her snooty neighbors for help. Then Cyril's sister Valerie stages a surprise party for mum's 70th birthday, a disaster from start to finish. Shirley holds things together, and she and Cyril may put aside her Dutch cap after all.
Who’s in it. High Hopes stars Phil Davis as Cyril Bender, Ruth Sheen as Shirley, Edna Doré as Mrs Bender and Philip Jackson as Martin Burke, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.1/10, High Hopes has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $1.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch High Hopes page.
If you liked it. Fans of High Hopes tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch High Hopes (1989)?
- In US, High Hopes is available to stream on Criterion Channel. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is High Hopes worth watching?
- High Hopes holds an audience score of 7.1 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in High Hopes?
- High Hopes stars Phil Davis, Ruth Sheen, Edna Doré, Philip Jackson and Heather Tobias.
- When was High Hopes released?
- High Hopes was released in 1989, with a runtime of about 108 minutes.