Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

All Is True Blu-ray Movie Review

A Bard's Tale.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 18, 2019

All Is True is Director Kenneth Branagh's sorrowful exploration of William Shakespeare's final years and the pains he endured as a result of his son's death. This is a story of immense personal pain crafted within a beautifully constructed, acted, and photographed motion picture. Branagh, who plays the Bard in the film, and Writer Ben Elton shine the light on a different side of the world's most famous playwright, focusing on his years in retirement and his refusal, or inability, or both, to move forward from past pain. It's a powerful film, a dramatic symphony of emotion shaped by finely honed performances that are not a product of costume or setting but rather sincerely crafted internal states that bring a new side of an old and legendary figure to startlingly rich and exacting life.

William Shakespeare (Branagh) has retired from writing and the stage following the tragedy at the Globe Theater in June 1613 when the structure caught fire during a performance of his Henry VIII. He's returned home to Stratford to be with his wife Anne Hathaway (Judi Dench) and his daughters Susana (Lydia Wilson) and Judith (Kathryn Wilder), the latter of whom is twin sister to Shakespeare's dead son, Hamnet, who passed at age 11. In his final years, Shakespeare tends a garden while tending his own heart, a broken heart suffering from the anguish of which he cannot escape. His family life is defined by his grief, and his wife and daughters are not interested in suffering through Hamnet's death over and over again. But the Bard cannot leave the past behind him; his pain seeps into his life and defines his every breath.

All is True is a tragedy not played out on paper and ink but rather in a man's heart. Branagh, practically unrecognizable under the makeup and prosthetics, delivers a seamlessly complex and wholly heartfelt performance, exploring the character from the inside out, oftentimes pushing away even the basics of the man and focusing entirely on the innermost being. This is a Shakespeare whose fluent tongue and flowing hand have become overburdened by the blackness that cannot lift from his heart. At one point, he admits his fantasies of role reversal, oftentimes wishing it were he who was dead, that is son is alive, and that it is Hamnet writing and reflecting on his father. It's a personal, deep pain that is explored to great dramatic fruition by a master actor in one of his finest performances.

The film's production design is exquisite. It's a seamless draw into a long ago world that is made all the more pronounced by the relatable pains and the consequences thereof on the soul. That's what makes any costume drama or period piece effective. It's not the elegant set design and costuming but rather the human relatability beyond all of that, and with All Is True Branagh makes it easy to sympathize with the character. Everything else melts away as underlying supports, not the pillars that carry the story's weight. The film can grow a bit cumbersome, though, with all of that emotional heft piling on, but it's ultimately a rewarding exploration of a man who is revealed to be just that: a man, not a mythical figure or even a legendary playwright but a familiar soul with pains that fame and fortune cannot ease, never mind erase.

All Is True Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

All Is True arrives on Blu-ray with an impactful 1080p transfer. This is a resplendently clean, precise, and practically perfect 1080p transfer, its rewards many and its flaws few. The movie was shot on digital. It's clean, maybe a little flat and smooth, but there's no mistaking the intricacy and command of every detail, whether considering the soil in which Shakespeare toils, furnishings around his palatial home, storefronts and shop interiors in town, complex period attire, or richly defined facial features. Every shot is a joy and the 1080p resolution brings the best out of every single one. One can only imagine what might have been with a 4K presentation, but the Blu-ray is perfectly capable, texturally and considering its color spectrum, too. The standard dynamic range tones are pleasant and rich. Exterior greens please, each one rich and nuanced and popping off the screen with natural beauty and tonal truth. Clothing is resplendent, furnishings are full and exquisitely precise, and flesh tones are dialed in to perfection. Transfer downsides include a push to black crush in the darkest corners (see a fireside table scene in chapter four) and a smattering of source noise again in the lowest lighting conditions. Yet these are small penalties within a larger vision of Blu-ray excellence, and the black levels are tastefully deep and tone, narrative, and scene complimentary, even if detail appears devoured. No fretting over this one; it's a joy.

All Is True Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All Is True features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The movie's sonic needs are not intense, but the track is well capable of handling the modest sound design quite nicely. Music presents with pleasant width and flawless clarity. Score is generally light and complimentary, never intense or loud. Surround engagement is minimal; music remains largely engaged up front, and rightly so. The score, and other elements, present in support of the story, not as defining components of it. The track does offer some well-rounded atmospherics that engage the listener and define locations with exceptional grace. In between and underneath simple external dialogue exchanges, there are plenty of agreeable elements to draw the listener into Shakespeare's world: light winds, chirping birds, a crackling fireplace in a lengthy dialogue with the Earl of Southampton in chapter eight. Dialogue is clear and refined. It's well prioritized and sits comfortably in the front-center channel for the duration.

All Is True Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All Is True contains a Q&A, several featurettes, and a trailer. No DVD or digital copies are included. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Q&A with Kenneth Branagh (1080p, 33:47): Variety's Jenelle Riley hosts Branagh to discuss the film and his broader career with so many connections to Shakespeare's work. He covers the story, performance techniques, actors, project inspirations, and more.
• Shakespeare Comes Home (1080p, 3:06): A brief piece that covers the broad plot details via film clips, behind the scenes footage, and actor interviews.
• The Bard's Reckoning (1080p, 3:15): Another piece themed and constructed similarly to that directly above.
• Behind-the-Scenes (1080p): A collection of micro featurettes.
  
  
  • Becoming Shakespeare (1:38): A brief exploration of the Shakespeare makeup.
  • Judi Dench (1:32): Dench's performance and the character she performs.
  • Ian McKellen (1:33): In exploration of McKellen's performance and character.
  • Fact or Fiction (1:54): A quick exploration of Shakespeare, the man about whom much is known but much remains unknown.
  • A Family Drama (1:24): A brief exploration of the film's depiction of Shakespeare's home life.
• Visiting Stratford: The Story Behind All Is True (1080p, 8:25): Paul Edmondson, Head of Research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and others guide viewers through some of the historical fact that is known about William Shakespeare.
• All Is True Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:26).
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.

All Is True Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

All Is True is a passionate and expertly crafted tale of a man who is perceived as larger than life. Beyond the brilliant words and the lasting legacy is a wounded soul and a broken heart. The film does extrapolate and suggest rather than ground itself in fact (all is not known, truth be told) but it's a solidly assembled and oftentimes gripping story of a man struggling to deal with tragedy that defines him beyond his fame and fortune. Sony's Blu-ray is strong all around, considering video, audio, and supplemental content. Highly recommended.