6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
A father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life's choices.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer, Michael Sheen, Jemaine ClementDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.00:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.00:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
What is life? What does it really mean to live? Beyond the biological truisms, what is it that molds one's perception of life? Can one be content with who one is and what one has, or does one allow jealousy, things out of reach, false gods, and phony ideals to dictate some view that anything but "besting" everyone else is a failure? Brad's Status tells the story of a man who laments his place in life. He cannot keep up with his Jonses, his buddies from college, whom he sees living glamorous, big money lifestyles, carefree and enjoying every breath as he struggles to maintain his sanity and equilibrium, because a roof over his head, a loving wife, a talented son, and relative comfort just aren't enough for him. It’s a movie about reflection, perception, fear, and doubt and how his outlook shifts to a more accepting and positive and hopeful one as he comes to learn a number of truths about his friends, his son, and himself on a days-long college tour across the country, thousands of miles from everything he knows and the things that had previously shaped his negative outlook on himself, his prospects, his friends, and the world.
Lost.
Brad's Status offers all the comforts and refinements of today's higher end digitally shot productions. Sharp, robust details are common. Well defined textural excellence right down to fine hairs and fabrics are always evident, even in lesser lighting in locations like dimly and warmly lit bars. Broader skin and clothing textures and environmental qualities are clear and exceptionally detailed throughout. Colors are healthy, color depth is excellent, plenty of vitality is ever-apparent, and the image is never wanting for large splashes of intense shades, particularly colorful clothes and well-manicured lawns on college campuses. Black levels are fine and skin tones appear healthy and true. Noise is moderate, particularly in lower light, but no other serious eyesores are readily apparent. This is a top-notch new release from Universal.
Brad's Status features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film isn't constantly in need of high-energy intensity, but it makes the most of the mostly modest and only briefly more aggressive moments within. Environmental ambience is nicely immersive and seamlessly implemented. Whether background chatter and odds and ends at an airport or more densely packed bars and restaurants, the track never struggles to draw thew listener into the film's varied environments. Music is wonderfully detailed and true, whether overlaid score or an orchestral performance near film's end that is fluid and clean, breathtakingly detailed and perfect. Dialogue propels most of the film, and it's expectedly excellent, commanding of the stage and positioned in the front-center.
Brad's Status contains a handful of brief extras. A digital copy code is included included with purchase.
Brad's Status is a superb film that leaves behind the noise and visual wonders that are so dominant in today's cinema and instead explores a man in crisis in middle age, who believes his best days are behind him, the world and his friends have passed him by, and that his lot in life is to bemoan his supposed failures and perceived financial inadequacies. Ben Stiller is fantastic in the lead role, displaying a dramatic range and depth that's quite unlike anything else the actor has achieved before. Universal's Blu-ray is top-notch, at least in the video and audio departments. Supplements are sparse and brief, but the disc nevertheless comes highly recommended.
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