76%, based on 49 reviews, and an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "A surprisingly sultry performance from Ally Sheedy elevates High Art from pretentious melodrama to compelling -- if still a little pretentious -- romance." On Metacritic, High Art has a score of 73 based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Film critic Roger Ebert praised the film as "masterful", noting "High Art is so perceptive and mature it makes similar films seem flippant. The performances are on just the right note, scene after scene, for what needs to be done." Emanuel Levy of Variety wrote, "The beauty of Cholodenko’s writing is that she etches the evolving friendship, and the transformation of the two women, step by step, without any cheating," and that she "painstakingly dissects the culture of heroin chic and its implications." Of Sheedy, Levy wrote after years of "’80s teen-angst movies, [she] shakes up her old screen image entirely and emerges as a mature, highly disciplined actress." Levy noted "Clarkson excels in portraying an aging, disenchanted actress, desperately clinging to Lucy – and to drugs", and singled out Mitchell as the film's "real revelation", saying "her scenes with Sheedy are so truthfully touching." Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the performances, but said the ending is one of "contrived inevitability." IndieWire listed it as #7 of The 15 Greatest Lesbian Movies of All Time. In 2022, Autostraddle listed it as #58 of The 200 Best Lesbian Movies of All Time. Awards and nominations See also List of LGBT films directed by women References External links Official site 1998 films 1998 LGBT-related films American romantic drama films American LGBT-related films Bisexuality-related films English-language Canadian films 1990s English-language films American independent films Lesbian-related films 1998 romantic drama films Films directed by Lisa Cholodenko Canadian LGBT-related films 1998 directorial debut films 1990s American films 1990s Canadian films Sundance Film Festival award winners 1998 independent films Films about photographers Films about heroin addiction