Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Dick Blu-ray Movie Review

There's nothing Tricky about Sony's Blu-ray release.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 30, 2018

At any given time in the United States, about half the populace would love nothing more than to (non violently, hopefully) see the sitting President removed from office, to dig up some kind of dirt on him or her, to catch the president in a serious lie or scandal, and force him or her into resignation. That's particularly true of the current political climate but it's been the case for many years, many decades, and well beyond. In Director Andrew Fleming's (The Craft) Dick, a pair of ditzy high school girls earn inside access to the Nixon White House and inside access to the Watergate scandal's most salacious and presidency-destroying secrets. The film is pure fiction and fantasy, a light and breezy look at teenage infatuation, dirty politics, and the story of how a couple of airheads bring down a president.

Two fifteen-year-old girls -- Betsy Jobs (Kirsten Dunst) and Arlene Lorenzo (Michelle Williams) -- find themselves in the middle of political scandal when they innocently sneak around the Watergate complex, where Arlene's mother lives. When they sneak out to mail a letter to a heartthrob singer, they come face-to-face with G. Gordon Liddy (Harry Shearer) who suspects them of foul play unrelated to the infamous Watergate break-in, which is happening simultaneously. While on a White House tour the following day, the girls again encounter Liddy, who has a key piece of evidence pertaining to the break-in stuck to his shoe. The girls clandestinely retrieve it (and have no idea what it is) but are questioned when Liddy grows suspicious. Across the hall through an open door, the girls spot President Nixon (Dan Hedaya) whose dog gladly comes running when the girls call to it. Nixon, himself suspicious of what the girls might know, appoints them the White House's official dog walkers and, later, his personal “Secret Youth Advisors” in hopes of keeping tabs on them. The girls quickly grow enamored with the president but gradually come to realize that he's not the nice man he seems to be and that they are in possession of materials that could end his presidency.

Dick is nothing but whimsical fantasy, a spunky and spirited but usually dimwitted re-write of American history that takes one of the most serious and widely studied of American political scandals and turns it into an off-the-wall goofy charade in which two young girls, one of whom is strangely attracted to President Nixon -- as in she falls in love with him -- bumble their way into the history books. Their adventure is filled with dramatic coincidence, unlikely access to the President and the White House, and a sudden change of heart when they learn that “Dick” isn’t quite the nice guy they believed him to be. It’s hard to buy that the girls could be so dense about the world around them and the scandal that’s fallen into their laps, only to have their opinions swayed by a tape recorded tirade when they finally, somehow, understand what’s been under their noses all this time. They are ultimately led to Woodward and Bernstein, the journalists who exposed the scandal and are portrayed by Will Ferrell and Bruce McCulloch as almost equally goofy and nearly inept characters as the girls.

For a little more "truth" about the Watergate scandal, the real "Deep Throat" was revealed in 2005, just six years after this movie's release. For a superior dramatic interpretation of the story, watch All the President's Men.

Dick Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As expected with Sony catalogue releases, Dick's Blu-ray presentation meets, and even surpasses, expectations for quality. The movie was shot on film and maintains a handsome, organic, light, and complimentary grain structure. Cinderblock walls in a Watergate parking garage near film's start are wonderfully tactile and complex, ditto details in a stairwell. But those are flat, low light locales without much of interest to see. The White House interiors are beautifully rendered, including decorations and furnishings in the Oval Office. Suits are finely appointed and sharp while facial textures are detailed and precise. There are some lovely close-ups, particularly of President Nixon, that push the Blu-ray format fairly close to its most cinematically capable and revealing limits. Image clarity is first-class, sharpness is natural and maintained throughout, and that manicured grain is the exquisite exclamation mark. Colors are healthy and punchy. The palette is very diverse and cheerful. The movie is well-lit, in most scenes, allowing the finely tuned saturation and color boldness to stand out. Black levels and flesh tones appear spot-on. Neither source deterioration nor encode anomalies are readily apparent. It's difficult to imagine the movie looking much better on this format.

Dick Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dick features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack but it rarely expands beyond the front confines in any meaningful way. The track is a little flat, but the movie's sound design is not particularly robust, anyway. It's content to linger across the front with only rare moments of rearward expansion, such as when Arlene has a dream sequence about the President in chapter four, which is the first real example of surround integration and a scene with some of the most impressive width and musical clarity in the film. Atmospherics in the White House or in various exteriors or homes throughout are fairly basic in delivery, never really engaging the soundstage with much in the way of meaningful immersion or pinpoint place recreation. Music is healthy and wide along the front, though, and dialogue maintains front-center positioning while always clear and well prioritized. It is rarely in competition with other elements, anyway.

Dick Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Dick's Blu-ray release contains an assortment of special features, outlined below. No DVD or digital versions are included. The release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Gag & Blooper Reel (1080i, 12:49): Funny moments from the shoot.
• The Making of Dick (1080i, 4:43): Film clips and cast and crew interviews support a plot recap and a peek into the characters and the actors who portray them.
• Deleted Scene (1080p, 1:15): Dream Sequence.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:27).
• Audio Commentary: With Co-Writer/Director Andy Fleming and Co-Writer Sheryl Longin.

Dick Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If Dick starred a couple of guys rather than gals in the lead roles, no doubt someone like Pauly Shore would be right there in the lead, or maybe a Rowan Atkinson if one wanted to add a little more weight and class to the movie. Dick cannot match the brain-dead wit and endlessly humorous shenanigans of movies like Clueless and Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, two greatly superior films next to this (and pretty great on their own). Dick often feels forced, with the girls gravitating to empty stereotypes rather than carefully developed personalities that could be believably ditzy and at the same time a major part of history. Nevertheless, it's a decently fun and innocent diversion with a few adorable scenes, such as when the girls help avert a nuclear crisis with the Soviet Union with a few homemade cookies. Sony's Blu-ray delivers exceptional 1080p video, serviceable multichannel lossless audio, and a handful of extras. Don't wait 'till noon tomorrow. Buy today. Just don't show this movie during history class. Recommended.