Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Born to Win Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 7, 2022

1971’s “Born to Win” offers actor George Segal a chance to showcase a bit more of his range, challenged to portray a drug addict in all stages of desperation. Segal’s casting takes a little time to get used to, with the star working against his usual charms to detail the deterioration of a once stable person who now lives a life of constant risk, craving only a fix as his reward. “Born to Win” carries a strange darkly comic tone for such a bleak subject matter, with co-writer/director Ivan Passer attempting to juggle moods for the endeavor, striving to make the feature approachable while still respecting the downfall arc Segal is very eager to inhabit.

J.J. (George Segal) was once a hairstylist in New York City, with Veronica (Paula Prentiss) as his wife and the mother of his children. Now he’s a junkie roaming the streets looking for quick cash, often turning to crime to secure funding for his next fix. He’s beholden to dealer Vivian (Hector Elizondo), who provides him with courier jobs to make some cash, and he’s recently fallen for Parm (Karen Black), a slightly unhinged woman drawn to his personal wreckage. Getting in deep with local cops (including Robert De Niro) hoping to make a major bust, J.J. is trapped in a perilous situation of survival he doesn’t know how to get out of.

“Born to Win” isn’t light, but it has moments of levity to make the most of Segal’s participation. J.J. is in a bad place, failing to shake his addiction to heroin, but his spirit isn’t smothered, offering charms and quick thinking to acquire money. His plans often fail, and the screenplay tracks his experiences with others, meeting Parm while trying to steal her car, and Vivian is a steely figure of manipulation, using J.J.’s thirst to help him move drugs around the city, which exposes him to the police. Passer has his grit, but there’s a certain springiness to the picture that’s initially disorienting, watching J.J. talk his way in and out of trouble, while escape plans occasionally lead to silliness, including a moment where the junkie fits himself into a laundry room dryer to hide from the law.

Born to Win Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 35mm interpositive. Fun City Editions gets the job done here, restoring a largely obscure feature for Blu-ray, with heavy but film-like grain throughout. Detail emerges with sweaty facial textures and wispy hair, along with fibrous period outfits. New York City shots are wonderfully dimensional, offering depth with urban tours, and interiors showcase decoration and decay, getting into apartment life and drug dens. Colors are respectfully refreshed, offering a cooler sense of the concrete jungle and vivid domestic spaces. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in good condition, with a few damaged frames.

Born to Win Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM mix wrestles with a somewhat chaotic sound design for "Born to Win." Dialogue exchanges are clean, managing the loose performances and varying degrees of menace and mischief. Scoring cues and soundtrack selections run a bit louder, but remain appealingly balanced with the acting, contributing to the unsettled nature of the film. Street atmospherics are appreciable.

Born to Win Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer Jason Bailey and filmmaker Michael Hult.

• Image Gallery (1:30) collects poster art and film stills.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:37, HD) is included.

Born to Win Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Segal is clearly stretching with "Born to Win," and he's terrific in the feature, finding ways to understand J.J.'s clouded headspace, working to make him a complicated figure of destructive habits and pure intentions, which is fascinating to watch. Passer also offers a distinct NYC feel to the picture, which helps to add pressure to J.J.'s journey. While there's some light present here, "Born to Win" remains in line with its filmmaking era, remaining skeptical of hope and true to character, ending up with a potent sense of reality in this never-ending struggle with addiction.