6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Clark County, Texas trailer housewife Lorna (Gina Gershon) is fed up with her small-time thief husband Dale (Val Kilmer), especially after he doesn't plan on sharing the $100,000 cash he'd robbed at gunpoint from the local savings & loan. But before she and her best friend Tiny (Kelli Giddish of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) can split the loot and start a new life, they'll have to find the money, dispose of a dead body, distract the nosy sheriff (Ray Liotta) and outsmart a persistent private investigator (Wayne Duvall of O Brother, Where Art Tho?). Richard Riehle (Office Space) co-stars in this pitch-black comedy/thriller about nasty double-crosses, bloody doublewides, and a whole bunch of unexpected twists that will leave you Breathless.
Starring: Val Kilmer, Ray Liotta, Gina Gershon, Kelli Giddish, Wayne DuvallThriller | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Looks like the handiwork of the devil himself!
It offers neither a breathless pace nor a breathless story and it doesn't even prove its weight in blood and body parts, but Breathless is a
halfway decent little Dark Comedy that will at least get the old heart rate up in a few spots, whether through the sudden and brutal violence, splashes
of humor, or the sultry Gina Gershon (Face/Off) at her sweaty West Texas best. The movie isn't at all original --
how many movies have been made in which
violence and missing cash are at the center of the story -- and Breathless, to its credit, seems content to simply maneuver through the
motions and allow a bland story to play out to the end in a pleasing yet fleeting and ultimately forgettable ninety-some minutes of light cinema
entertainment. It's well made, the script has its moments, and the acting isn't at all bad, it's just that Breathless never finds much in terms
of novelty, and even the "twist" at film's end isn't at all a challenge to spot coming from quite a ways away. The movie earns good marks for technical
proficiency and providing baseline entertainment, but don't go in expecting the next great genre picture.
Oops.
Breathless arrives on Blu-ray with a good-looking 1080p transfer. The opening shots of various foods being sliced and cooked appear quite nice. Natural details that comprise the textures of sliced meat, cracked eggs, jam, and even a scratched-up silver cooking pan and well-used burners are sharp and superbly textured. Unfortunately, some of these close-ups look a bit noisy and unstable, but the net result is positive. Once the main actions starts past the opening titles, the image takes on a slightly pale appearance that favors a noticeable but light shade of gray mixed with tan, giving the image a warm but at the same time dreary and inhospitable sort of appearance. Colors are fine under the circumstances, suitably balanced and never too bright or dull. Details are quite nice, too, whether intricate facial elements or furnishings around the trailer. In those few exterior shots, the image dazzles with remarkably well-defined (and well lit under the harsh Texas sun) dusty terrains and weeds. Light banding does dance across some backgrounds, and a sprinkling of noise is evident here and there. This is a good, even transfer from Anchor Bay.
A good quality Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack breathes sonic life into Breathless. Anchor Bay's audio presentation is fine within the film's fairly limited parameters. As a general rule, this is a dialogue-intensive motion picture. The lossless soundtrack handles every syllable with ease and expert clarity, all flowing from the center speaker. The track precisely places very light background ambience, inside in the form of low-volume local radio playing smooth Country tunes and outside a few buzzing West Texas insects. Most of the information remains the property of the front end of the soundstage, however; the surrounds simply don't carry much activity. Music, likewise, hovers across the front. For the most part, it's low-volume stuff with a fair low end rumble and adequate spacing and clarity. A gunshot early in the film rings out with adequate power, but listeners might expect more of a .357 magnum round going off in a fairly enclosed space. Overall, however, this is a good but naturally limited track that admirably handles its duties.
Breathless contains an audio commentary track, a making-of featurette, and a DVD copy of the film on disc two.
Breathless plays out like a stage play more than a movie. It's almost literally a one-set picture; the vast majority of the action takes place in the trailer's living room and only once or twice really strays beyond its walls. The confined location never feels cramped or limiting. Breathless succumbs to a lack of originality and an inability to keep its cards close to the vest and not from its one-locale setting. The story's rather dull and easy to sort out well ahead of time, but a good, hot Texas trailer setting, quality performances, and some interesting characters do keep the movie flowing and firm on its feet. It's not a classic in the making, but Breathless should satisfy audiences in search of a little bloody and dark humor. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Breathless features good video and audio. A couple of extras are included. Give it a rent.
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