Beginners 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Beginners 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 3, 2026

In 2005, writer/director Mike Mills tried to make his mark on the indie film scene with “Thumbsucker,” offering a sterile examination of adolescent experiences, though a movie made with attention to detail. The picture was mostly detached, putting Mills on a mission to make a more sensitive feature, going the semi-autobiographical route with 2011’s “Beginners,” which uses Mills’s own experiences with his father to fuel an examination of life and death, often captured with intimacy. There’s wonderful acting to be discovered in the endeavor, and Mills plays with time in an interesting manner, but he can’t quite shake the preciousness of his creative approach. “Beginners” has heart, but it’s often buried under quirk, pushing viewers to endure a lot of unwanted play before the endeavor reaches some profound areas of examination, especially with parental relationships.

Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is a graphic design artist learning to deal with the revelation that his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), is gay, coming out of the closet at 75 years of age after spending 44 years in a marriage to Georgia (Mary Page Keller). Cruelly, the liberation also brings news of lung cancer, with Hal’s newfound joy reduced to painful medical routine, leaving Oliver in a state of shock, forced to process the emotional wreckage of his life, from a puzzling childhood to numerous failed relationships. Into his glum world comes Anna (Melanie Laurent), a French actress who takes a shine to Oliver’s vulnerability, with the two commencing a tentative relationship that permits the grieving man a chance to isolate and confront his pain, pondering his complicated life with Hal as the end nears.

“Beginners” is not a cheery movie, it’s a mournful stare into the vast galaxy of memories, those fragments of life in dire need of interpretation. Based upon Mills’s own experience with his father, “Beginners” has the feel of personal therapy blasted awkwardly onto the big screen, permitting the viewer access into a bleak area of regret and confusion, where Oliver not only has to process the gradual decline of his father, but reassess a life lived with a closeted, distant man who left his family in a confusing place of self-reliance, leading the young boy to interpret this behavior as rejection. The filmmaker’s fingerprints are all over this picture, and it’s impossible to argue the validity of the feelings on display. Mills has a lot on his mind, with “Beginners” his vessel to purge his doubts.

While poignant in flashes, “Beginners” is a film wrapped in plastic at times, with the director looking to artificial means to conjure a visual personality that reflects Oliver’s ragged soul. We observe philosophical doodles emerging from Oliver’s pen. There’s his silent courtship of Anna, who’s suffering from laryngitis when they first meet, turning their communication into performance art. Hal’s loyal dog is present, whose thoughts are subtitled. A few excursions into vandalism are present as well, where Oliver turns to graffiti to try out an alien form of artistic expression. And there’s a flowing sense of time and place, with Oliver using still images and a lists of facts to set the history of the world before he settles on his own perspective. “Beginners” is a feature of depression, yet Mills never fully commits to the battle plan, too wrapped up in precious behavior that pulls the movie away from honest emotion.

For additional analysis and information, please read Kenneth Brown’s 2011 Blu-ray review.

Beginners 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Beginners" was originally issued on Blu-ray by Universal Pictures in 2011, and returns with a new UHD release from Criterion Collection, listed as "upscaled from the 2K theatrical digital" master, "created from the original digital camera media." "Beginners" was shot with a Red One Camera in 2009, and retains the look of the era's progress with digital cinematography. It's a slightly flatter look at frame elements, but detail is present, examining differences in age with cast members, and fibrousness with costuming is appreciable, often favoring casual wear and sweaters. Los Angeles locations maintain depth, visiting parks and streets. Interiors are dimensional, identifying domestic and workplace decoration. The feature's interest in photographic detail is also preserved, offering a textured look at subjects. Color is understood, with a warmer look at household environments. Primaries register as intended during workplace visits and clothing style choices. Blacks are decently deep, facing tech limitations of the day. Highlights are tasteful. Some camera anomalies are present, with a bit of damage at the 85-minute mark. Encoding mostly holds together with some "grain" looking blocky at times.

Beginners 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix maintains crisp dialogue exchanges, exploring softer emotional encounters and moments of Anna's laryngitis, which brings her thoughts down to a barely audible whisper. Scoring delivers fresh instrumentation and delicate dramatic support. Surrounds aren't very active with the frontal ways of the picture, but some musical moods carry a circular feel. Atmospherics with group activity and party events also register faintly. Low- end isn't challenged.

Beginners 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Mike Mills.

• "Memories, Objects, Places & People: A Conversation between Mike Mills and Kirsten Johnson" (48:44, HD) is a 2025 meeting between the writer/director of "Beginners" and a colleague, who initially explore the autobiographical elements of the picture, identifying the helmer's relationship with his father. Mills's creative growth is tracked, beginning with his writing, putting his life down on paper, using experiences to fuel his creative endeavors. The pair page through books of collected thoughts, examining memories and plans, also identifying inspirations from literature and art. The discussion wanders into elements of "20th Century Women" and "C'mon C'mon," and technical interests are inspected, getting closer to Mills's mindset when he begins to form a cinematic experience.

• "A Short Film About the Making of 'Beginners'" (14:33, SD) explores the creation of the picture, including interviews with writer/director Mike Mills, animal trainer Mathilde Decagny, and actors Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, and Melanie Laurent. The autobiographical nature of the material is analyzed, influencing characterization, and Mills's intense scripting efforts are highlighted. Praise for the actors is provided, along with Mills. BTS footage is also supplied, providing a feel for the production experience.

• "Deformer" (16:30, SD) is a 1996 short film from writer/director Mike Mills, observing the ways of "skateboarder and artist Ed Templeton."

• "The Architecture of Reassurance" (23:57, SD) is a 2000 short film from writer/director Mike Mills, examining the "false promise of suburban life."

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:02, SD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:26, SD) are included.

Beginners 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If there's any element to "Beginners" that absolutely connects, it's the supporting turn from Plummer, which eventually won him an Academy Award. It's exquisite acting working with rich characterization, as Hal experiences a refreshed sense of purpose after he finally connects with his true self, getting used to a world he's always wanted to be part of. And this liberation comes with news of his impending expiration, giving Plummer a chance to play all the layers of joy and grief. It's expert work in a deeply flawed offering, but Mills has his heart in the right place with "Beginners," always doing his best work when he gets out of his own way.