4.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
A small town waitress gets a nail accidentally lodged in her head causing unpredictable behavior that leads her to Washington, D.C., where sparks fly when she meets a clueless young senator who takes up her cause - but what happens when love interferes with what you stand for?
Starring: Jessica Biel, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Marsden, Bill Hader, Tracy MorganComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 1.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
When it's not making a farce of the medical profession and the political process, Director David O. Russell's (American Hustle, and working under the pseudonym "Stephen Greene"), Accidental Love is a 100 minute satirical advertisement for government healthcare. It depicts, in the broadest, most unflattering, most absurd manner possible a woman's hunky-dory life -- she's happy, good at her job (it's a wonder the movie didn't get into what must be her minimum wage salary...why not go for broke?), and set to marry the most desirable guy in town -- that falls apart when she falls victim to an accident. Suddenly, her storybook life crumbles because...she doesn't have health care. Enter the government solution and the stereotype "right-wing sleaze balls" who only want a military base on the moon, who build "handgun factories" on endangered land, and use sexuality as a weapon against their opponents standing in the way. The problem isn't that the movie champions a cause, the problem is that it's ridiculously transparent, grossly over-the-top, unapologetically one-sided, and downright stupid. It's insulting to both sides of the argument, those who want the government to take a larger role in providing heath care and those who would rather leave it to the private sector.
Help me health care. You're my only hope.
Accidental Love's uneven 1080p transfer is an exercise in frustration. There are times -- much of the film -- where this is a near stunner. Grain presents evenly and handsomely, accentuating razor-sharp details evident across the spectrum, including complex facial lines, pinpoint clothes, and beautiful stone, brick, and wood appointments and façades in Washington, D.C. Colors are robust and vibrant, a little warm, perhaps -- which is reflected in skin tones -- but offering a striking, diverse palette, including blue and green clothes and pink accents around the eatery where Alice works at film's start. But the transfer goes terribly smudgy, soft, and dull in places. It transitions to looking artificial and plastic, where details are smoothed out, colors are drained, blacks are pale and purplish, and grain is gone or spiked with large quantities of noise. It's a ridiculously uneven and jarring series of transitions that wipe away the good feelings of the movie's best moments.
Accidental Love arrives on Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It's a simple affair but presented with commendable efficiency and clarity. Music is airy and nicely spacious across the front and enjoys a fine natural wrap around into the back. Minor ambient effects float through the stage in several crowded locations. Light sound effects -- some squeaks and squeals and microphone reverberation -- are likewise delivered with a pleasing precision. The film is largely dialogue-driven, however, and the spoken world flows into the stage with effortless clarity and lifelike reproduction.
Aside from the Accidental Love (1080p, 2:10) trailer, this disc contains only additional trailers (480i) for The Humbling, Elsa & Fred, By the Gun, and Kidnapping Mr. Heineken.
Accidental Love is like a bad joke of a movie, stuff that even the staunchest pro-government health care advocate would only ever imagine in a nightmare scenario. If this is was meant to be the public face of government-run healthcare advocacy, those on the "pro" side had better fire their PR person, and fast. And they'd better disown the movie, and fast, if it's not. It's an out-of control train wreck of a film that even an impressive list of A-list talent cannot save. Alchemy's Blu-ray release of Accidental Love features shaky video, decent audio, and no supplements beyond a collection of trailers. Skip it.
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