Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Faces in the Crowd Blu-ray Movie Review

Just another face in a crowded movie field -- or is it?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 22, 2011

That man could be right in front of me and I wouldn’t know it.

Faces in the Crowd. What an appropriate title for a movie that one would think would whisk on by just like that, another in a seemingly endless stream of movies that come and go, many of which appear and disappear with little more than small footprint left behind, a title on a resume or a case on a dusty home video shelf, lost somewhere between Face/Off and Facing the Giants. But Faces in the Crowd isn't the most invisible or inconsequential little movie ever made. In fact, it has a few things going for it that will help it stand apart from other mid-tier pictures, notably Milla Jovovich's face adorning an eye-catching and rather unique cover/poster art. And for viewers who actually give it a try, Faces in the Crowd proves to be a well-made, thought-provoking, and technically proficient little Thriller that's not going to set the world on fire, win any awards, or yes, be all that memorable amongst the moviegoing public, but chances are it'll at least some day recall a hazy picture of a movie shelved away in the furthest corners of what little bit of the human brain the average person uses (not a dis but scientific fact!), but that will come back into focus with an "oh yeah! That one! It wasn't bad." declaration. And at the end of the day, and with a relatively little movie like this (come on, it's not Star Wars, and it's not even Redident Evil), that's about the best case scenario, so job well done all around.

The Facebook never lies.

Anna Marchant (Milla Jovovich) is just an ordinary woman. She's in a good relationship with her boyfriend Bryce (Michael Shanks), hangs with a couple of close girlfriends, and is the best teacher at her school. Unfortunately, her life is forever changed when she has an untimely run-in with a serial killer dubbed "Tearjerk Jack." She survives the ordeal with only a few cuts and bruises, but a knock to the head leaves her with a rare disease known as "Prosopagnosia," or "face blindness." She's unable to correctly identify a face, seeing another in its place. As a result, not only can she no longer identify her assailant, but she can't see the face of her boyfriend or adequately teach school. It seems a hopeless situation, but Detective Kerrest (Julian McMahon) isn't the type of man to take "Prosopagnosia" for an answer. He's bent on solving the crime and bringing Tearjerk Jack to justice with the help of his only living witness, even if she's useless in visually identifying a killer that's got the city on edge, the police stumped, and a leg up on Anna.

Faces in the Crowd is one of those "solidly unspectacular" movies. It's nether exceptionally great nor mind-numbingly awful. It holds one's attention throughout, going through a well-crafted game of "whodunit," a game that's played with a twist that gives the movie a unique little angle through which to work. Superficially, it's straightforward, standard stuff, the story of a victim in fear of and, ultimately, overcoming her doubts and anxieties to take the chase to the killer, to turn the tables on her fate and go above and beyond what's expected of her and what she expects from herself. Milla Jovovich is solid in the role; her action background doesn't get in the way of her ability to play the victim, to convey a real sense of confusion and outright fear as she both tries to nail the perpetrator while at the same time put her life back together, a life she remembers but that is made far more complicated when nobody appears to her as they really are. That she must come to trust her greater senses, not of the external sort but rather of her mind and soul to decipher clues and put together her past, present, and future is the real draw in Faces in the Crowd, a complex duty that Jovovich carries out with zeal and an air of believability.

Just as important is that Faces in the Crowd doesn't telegraph its finale. The film expertly keeps a lid on its surprises and offers up plenty of false flags to distract the viewer from the truth, all of which fit in seamlessly with the story and don't exactly appear as such until after the fact. The film succeeds in creating a great sense of confusion and chaos not only as to who's behind the crime, but in a more general sense by showing the world as Anna sees it and not as a detached moviegoing individual or even character in the movie may. The unique perspective of shifting characters, uncertain identities, and a general sense of confusion actually enhances the movie rather than detracts from it, for in this case a bit of visual, emotional, and psychological chaos is exactly what the doctor ordered. Additionally, the movie does a good job of appearing original but at the same time oddly familiar. The movie goes just far enough outside of that usual Thriller-with-a-hint-of-Horror-and-a-dollop-of-the-Supernatural motif to be its own entity, but it doesn't insult the intelligence or ever truly escape from reality (and yes, Anna's unique "illness" appears to be real). It's really a solid all-around movie; as alluded to earlier it's certainly not a classic and for most won't become a favorite, but it's subjectively better than average and definitely worth checking out.

Faces in the Crowd Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Millennium Media might not be the biggest Blu-ray releasing studio on the block, but there are few big boys who could learn a thing or two from them. Faces in the Crowd is an excellent Blu-ray, visually. From the beginning, the superiority of the transfer is evident. The opening title sequence shows close-ups of faces that reveal in great detail pores, facial hair, and bumps. General detail is stable and strong throughout, aided by magnificent clarity, no softness, and a light grain field that accentuates the positives and yields a handsome film-like appearance. Colors are wonderful, too. They're very well balanced, whether in the bright daytime shots in a few colorful playgrounds or in the bland white and gray hospital where Anna recovers following her run-in with the killer. Flesh tones appear accurate, and black levels are fantastic, whether "little black dresses" or shadowy corners where no detail is lost and blacks never go gray. The print is pristine with no visible flaws, and there's no evidence of banding, edge haloing, blocking, or the like. This is a demo-worthy transfer from start to finish.

Faces in the Crowd Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Faces in the Crowd's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack is nearly as impressive as its video transfer. The track has plenty to offer in a wide spectrum of audio delights. Music ranges from low instrumental score tracks to heavy-hitting club beats. Both are handled very well, with the former airy, spacious, and crisp, and the latter nicely enveloping, thumping, and reflective of the atmosphere. Ambience is impressive, too; there seems to always be something going on to create a richer, more lifelike atmosphere, whether light buzzing traffic in the background, chirping birds, the sounds of children at play, a rattly subway car, and the like. Directional effects are used to good effect on occasion, notably in two scenes featuring rollerbladers zipping right through the soundstage. Bass can be a little ungainly in a few instances, but the low end is used to good, positive effect throughout. Dialogue is balanced, center-focused, and never lost or muffled, even in the club scenes. This is an effective and nicely engineered track.

Faces in the Crowd Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Faces in the Crowd contains a trio of short featurettes.

• Making "Faces" (480p, 2:47): A short piece that examines the real-world condition of "Prosopagnosia," the process of shooting the movie, and the basics of the story.
• Doppelgängers (480p, 5:40): A look at how the filmmakers changed up the cast in order to more effectively portray Anna's condition.
• Cast of Characters (480p, 5:17): This supplement examines the primary characters and the actors who play them.
• Previews: Additional Millenium titles.

Faces in the Crowd Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Faces in the Crowd yields a good, positive movie watching experience. A solid performance by Milla Jovovich, steady direction, and a good sense of necessary confusion and chaos bring the audience into the main character's world with ease, and more importantly, effectiveness. Faces in the Crowd isn't the next great movie, and it's not going to get a lot of play, but it's definitely a little movie that's worth checking out. Millenium's Blu-ray release of Faces in the Crowd offers up exceptionally strong video, a great lossless soundtrack, and a couple of extras, all coming in at a relatively affordable price. Recommended.