You will not hear Donald Trump saying that the new film High Rise is “Gonna be great! It’s gonna be huge! Trust me, they’re all saying this is gonna be the biggest film ever!” Why? Because High Rise is all about class struggle in a luxury sky scraping apartment building, where life rapidly descends into a big slice of hell. And as we all know, Trump makes “millions” on his luxury apartment buildings, foremost of which is that phallic symbol with the golden escalator, Trump Tower. I think it’s safe to say that he would not embrace a film about power failure in a high rise or anywhere else.

The film has an eerie, sci-fi quality, and is set in a retro dystopian future that takes place an in alternate ’70’s world. In the beginning, we see Tom Hiddleston, whom you loved as Loki in the Thor films and currently stars in the totally compelling TV series The Night Manager. His character, a new resident in the building, is wearing a blood-stained shirt, and is barbecuing something you’re better off not thinking about — more details will be revealed later.

Most of the rest of the film is a flashback, and we see how when the mechanical systems start to fail on the lower, less elite floors, the residents rise up against the powers that be on top. Jeremy Irons plays the penthouse-dwelling billionaire architect who built the titular structure, and while his character is nothing like Donald Trump, I don’t think I’m the only one who could see society similarly devolving under any one of several brands of despotic leadership. Directed by Ben Wheatley, there’s a lot of violence and cruelty in High Rise, but there’s also a lot of stylishness and irony. It’s adapted from a J.G. Ballard novel of the same name, and, taking place in England, there’s a bit of surreal, A Clockwork Orange feeling to it.

High Rise is not for the feint of heart, nor is contemplation of life in America under certain elitist regimes. But it is available to the general population, currently in theaters and On Demand, and those who are really angry with the way things are going in this country today just might find themselves identifying with it.

Rated R

1 Hour 52 Minutes

Get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

HIGH RISE Review –What Donald Trump Doesn’t Want You to See

by Lisa Johnson Mandell