Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Camille Blu-ray Movie Review

One of the strangest romance films of all time.

Reviewed by Dustin Somner October 17, 2009

Judging from the cover of the Blu-ray case, you’d probably assume Camille is a light-hearted romance film about a gorgeous couple. In fact, the only thing that looks slightly out of place in the generic photo of the two young actors is the strange color of Sienna Miller’s hair (how many girls do you see walking around with bright reddish/pink hair). Now that I’ve had the opportunity to sit through the film and formulate my feelings on the actual plot, I can safely say this is one story that shouldn’t be judged based solely on the cover. Depending on the amount of time you have on your hands, I’d suggest you complete a brief internet search for the promotional posters used to market Camille. One poster in particular uses the actual photo on the cover of the Blu-ray, but throws in a clever twist that’s absent from the cover I’m holding in my hands. Accurately marketing a film is a crucial element in meeting the expectations of viewers (Adventureland is a perfect example of what not to do), and in that regard the packaging for Camille entirely missed the mark. Rather than go into a lengthy explanation to back up my opinion, I’d simply encourage you to read the synopsis in the next section, while keeping the cover artwork fresh in your mind.

It's almost impossible to grab a screenshot where she's not talking.

Following his recent release from prison, Silas (James Franco, Annapolis, Milk) is railroaded into marrying Camille (Sienna Miller, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra), the ditzy niece of a local sheriff (Scott Glen). The history between Silas and Camille remains a bit of a mystery throughout the film, but we know she stuck by him during his time in prison, and remains blindly devoted despite his apparent lack of interest. Constantly reminded of his responsibility to go along with Camille’s naïve whims or face the wrath of her lawman uncle, Silas begrudgingly goes through with the wedding and sets out on a road trip honeymoon to Niagara Falls. Along the way, Silas becomes increasingly frustrated with his wife’s constant need to chatter about anything and everything under the sun. This culminates in a verbal spat, where Camille begins to question whether Silas truly loves her. The newlyweds decide to continue their journey despite their uncomfortable situation, but a string of unfortunate events leads to a motorcycle accident that leaves Camille bloodied and lifeless. Silas seeks out help, but soon remembers he’s crossed his parole boundaries. After mistakenly telling a local woman that he’d killed his wife, he returns to the scene of the accident to find Camille bruised and battered, but otherwise fine. On the run from police (who are fully aware of his parole violation and the alleged murder of his wife), and a bit creeped out by Camille’s amazing return from the dead, the couple befriends a travelling carnival-man named Cowboy Bob, who agrees to help them reach Niagara Falls. It doesn’t take long for Silas and Cowboy Bob to realize something isn’t right with Camille, but how do you tell someone they’re dead when they still seem full of life?

As preposterous as that synopsis sounds, I haven’t even scratched the surface of what you can expect from this film. I’m always a fan of innovative storytelling, so it’s commendable to see a production that steps completely outside the boundaries of conventional thought. Mixing elements of horror into the romantic-comedy genre offers a fresh take on the stale flavor-of-the-week formula used by every Mathew McConaughey film in the past two years. Here, we have two attractive young actors playing parts that are either annoying or disgusting, effectively removing a key element found in most films of this genre. I never expected James Franco to play a dead-beat loser who considers the thought of punching his wife in the face if she doesn’t stop talking. Likewise, I can’t say the beautiful Sienna Miller has ever looked or acted as unappealing as she does in her role as Camille. I’d wager most men would find little reason to complain if presented with the idea of marrying Ms. Miller, but after the first ten minutes of the film, you’ll find yourself feeling oddly sympathetic to the frustrations shown by Silas.

If asked to apply a label to the film, I’d describe it as a heart-felt zombie flick. Leading up to the motorcycle accident, Camille offers nothing more than a quirky look at a doomed relationship. After we reach the crossroad where something strange happens to the leading lady, we’re taken on a far more intriguing journey that runs a wide emotional gamut. On the one hand, we have Camille’s tragic story of self-awareness, as she continues to hold onto the dwindling hope that her life will simply return to normal. Helping her along is the newly sympathetic Silas, who only realizes what’s important when faced with the loss of it. He still lacks common sense in tactfully dealing with the opposite gender, but the story gradually shows Silas regaining his humanity through his interactions with Cowboy Bob and Camille. The comedic portions of the plot are delivered by the bumbling police officers that seem intent on pursuing Silas to the ends of the earth, and there are a handful of scenes that generate a chuckle or two from characters noticing Camille’s foul odor. I definitely wouldn’t call this an outright comedy, but there are enough light-hearted scenes to prevent the story from ever feeling overly tragic or depressing. If you’re in the mood for something out of the ordinary, Camille is a sure bet.

Camille Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 19Mbps), Camille offers a vivid presentation that rarely fails to impress. One of the first things you'll likely notice as you browse the screenshots throughout this review, is the bold color palette incorporated into the cinematography. From the deep red of Camille's wig, to the eerie pastel hues of Cowboy Bob's painted horses, the color spectrum matches the over-the-top nature of the storyline. Fine object detail is equally impressive, possessing a wealth of clarity that exceeds the proficiency of an average Blu-ray release. Judging from the fine texturing on the surface of Scott Glen's aging face, or the precision in revealing each blade of grass as Silas ran across an open field, it's readily apparent this is a solid reproduction of high-quality source material. As much as I enjoyed most aspects of the transfer, I wasn't entirely pleased with contrast levels during a handful of darker scenes (toward the end of the film). For instance, watch for the scene with Silas and Camille dancing at the fair. During that segment, black levels are extremely strong, but the weak contrast results in a noticeable loss of shadow detail. Aside from that one minor complaint that only shows up in approximately 1% of the full runtime, this is a thoroughly enjoyable visual experience.

Camille Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The lossless audio track on the disc didn't generate the same level of excitement in comparison with the strong visual presentation, but still stands as a serviceable experience. Aside from one or two intense sequences (the shootout in the motel and the motorcycle accident), this is a dialogue-heavy track that relies on the softer elements to create an immersive experience. This doesn't mean the audio mix avoids your rear speakers or lacks surround separation, it simply means you have to actively listen for the dynamics you'd readily notice in a more rousing mix. After you give the audio a closer inspection, you'll begin to appreciate the sound design to a greater extent, noticing the distant crashing water of Niagara Falls, or the crickets/frogs of the surrounding countryside at night. Regarding the volume balance of the track, you'll initially want to turn up the volume a touch higher than you're accustomed to, but once you do that, there's not much to complain about. The music, effects and dialogue are each given appropriate weight through the majority of the runtime, but there were a couple of moments when I felt the dialogue seemed a bit lower than it should have been. Taken as a whole, the audio portion of the technical presentation is slightly above average, but not something you'll turn on as demonstration material for your guests.

Camille Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only extra included on the disc is the original theatrical trailer presented in 1080p with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio.

Camille Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I don't always watch a film twice in order to complete a review, but felt compelled to give Camille a second spin before putting my thoughts together. In retrospect, that turned out to be a good idea, since I enjoyed the film a bit more on the second viewing. Once I knew how preposterous the idea of the plot was going to be, it allowed me to enjoy the unfolding storyline without a critical eye on whether or not everything fit together nicely. If you're hoping for answers to your questions, or something profound, there's a good chance this will fail to meet your expectations. However, if you're simply interested in tagging along for a journey into the unexplainable, strap in for a solid 90-minute adventure.