Most of the reviews here either call it amazing or trash, either could be true.

I think Haut Bas Fragile has some redeeming qualities, notably the portrayal of 90s Paris, unique characters and interesting ways in which they are built in the audience's mind, and good artistic direction. If you're interested in a movie like that, I honestly recommend trying it, I thought it was interesting to see Rivette use a more modern setting, and as always, he uses setting well.

That said, I did not enjoy this movie. I thought the musical elements were thrown in without proper contexts, it's kind of a musical at times, but if you said that to someone, they'd become confused as they watch the first hour or so and see no sung musical numbers, and then even more confused when they suddenly start happening without explanation. The music was a weird mesh of 90s style music and older, more usual musical like songs, this could work, but didn't in this movie, in my opinion.

As well, there are a number of simply strange choices that don't seem to have deeper meaning, the dad's tape voice, the strange fling with the bodyguard, the aforementioned unexpected musical numbers, etc. These strange choices could've worked in a movie that was deigned around them, and Rivette is obviously capable of being surreal, but this just seems random more than surreal to me.

Also, while the movie is Rivette's normal great length, it doesn't develop the characters, mood, or ideas well; it seems to use time inefficiently.

I think the movie is interesting, but to me, it's more of a 'what if' kind of interest (what if Rivette made a more modern musical type movie while retaining his style, and the style of French new wave), rather than a 'I am interested by the plot' kind of interest.

Overall, I think if you want surreal but meaningful + female friendship, watch Celine & Julie, if you want multiple distinct and interesting characters that all contribute to an interesting plot, watch The Gang of Four, if you want to look at Paris, watch Le Pont du Nord, and if you want a musical, watch someone else. That said, if you like Rivette and have already seen much of his other work, give it a try, see if you like it.

Although the film was released in Germany with only one copy I believe that it is not only Rivette's best film and that does mean very much but also one of the best movies of the 90's. It's Rivette's most funny and most light film. The female characters and his look at Paris is even more wonderful than in his other movies. As in all of Rivette's film everything can happen and the film is indeed full of wonderful surprises. But mostly I admire Haut bas fragile for Rivette's sense of the possibilities of the cinema which has become a very rare thing in our days.