Guest of Honour Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Guest of Honour Blu-ray Movie Review

An outstanding film from acclaimed writer-director Atom Egoyan (Chloe)

Guest of Honour is a compelling drama from acclaimed writer-director Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter, Chloe). The film explores the history if its cast of characters in a compelling way. Starring David Thewlis, Laysla De Oliveira, and Luke Wilson, it is a intelligent, absorbing, and unconventional thriller.

Veronica ((Laysla De Oliveira) wants to sort out her troubled past with Father Greg (Luke Wilson). The former school teacher was falsely accused of having a sexual relationship with the 17 year old Clive (Alexandre Bourgeois). What started out as nothing more than a mere prank, turned in to Veronica spending time in prison.

Veronica wanted to go, though: she felt ashamed of a past crime. As the story slowly starts to unfold, Veronica explores her troubled past with Father Greg and surprising twists and turns are brought to the table. Meanwhile, Veronica's father, Jim (David Thewlis), lives out a live full of regret and misery as he works day-to-day as a restaurant health inspector. Can Veronica and Jim find happiness once more?

"I'll take hair-free noodles. Thanks."

The performances are one of the finest components of the filmmaking. David Thewlis is particularly exceptional in the lead role. The subtle mannerisms and quirks of his character are fascinating. The exploration of his role is thoughtful and surprisingly complex. Thewlis truly delivers one of his best performances. Laysla De Oliveira is similarly impressive and makes her character all the more unique and compelling. There is something remarkable about her performance. Likewise, Luke Wilson gives a supporting performance that helps to round out the central cast of characters.

The music by Mychael Danna (Life of Pi, Monsoon Wedding) once again showcases the composer's amazing gift. The score is enthralling and pulls one in to the story with total ease. The score adds a great deal to the production and stands out as one of the best elements of the film.

The cinematography by Paul Sarossy (Chloe, The Sweet Hereafter) is a visual treat that enhances the filmmaking. The film features stunning visuals that reinforce why the cinematographer continues to work alongside the director. There are many effective shots throughout the film – and they are beautifully composed.

Atom Egoyan is a fascinating filmmaker. Though the director is best known for The Sweet Hereafter, Egoyan has crafted many fine films over the years. Somehow, Guest of Honour seems to have gone under the radar. The filmmaking is so exquisite it would be a loss for audiences to overlook this gem. An outstanding effort.

Guest of Honour Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Guest of Honour is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. This is a glorious looking presentation of the feature-film. The picture-quality appears altogether crisp and sharp from start to finish. The presentation remains naturally filmic as well (without ever seeming out-of-date with a modern presentation sensibility). The scan showcases rich colors that enhance the style of the film. Throughout the presentation, the encode quality remained consistently pleasing. This was a top-notch encode that fits the bill for the material perfectly.

Guest of Honour Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound mix. The lossless surround sound was far more immersive and enticing than expected. Given the independent spirit behind the production, one might be expecting an average soundstage. Rather, the surrounds are intelligently used for subtle ambiance and a nice integration of the music score. The end result is a effective sound design that blends in perfectly with the stylized visuals. The track has exceptional dialogue clarity and a strong use of the soundstage. An enticing sound mix.

Please Note: The release includes a optional English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track. There is also the inclusion of an optional English SDH subtitle track (for the deaf and hard of hearing).

Guest of Honour Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Guest of Honour Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:53)

Guest of Honour Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Guest of Honour is another outstanding film by the brilliant Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter). The performances are extraordinary: David Thewlis, Laysla De Oliveira, and Luke Wilson give truly compelling performances that bring these characters to life. The Blu-ray release features a strong presentation. Fans of the filmmaker should consider this an essential viewing. Highly recommended.