Home Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Home Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 7, 2020

Co-writer/director Fine Troch goes where many moviemakers have gone before with 2016’s “Home.” It’s the tale of troubled young people and their ill- formed support systems and coping mechanisms, with filmmakers such as Larry Clark spending their entire careers exploring the humiliations and explorations of adolescent characters. Troch doesn’t go full exploitation with his picture, but she gets close, trying on some shock value for size as she examines a potent tale of abuse and despair. “Home” is compelling, helped along by an amateur cast capable of simulating teen troubles and beyond, and while Troch doesn’t always have the best impulse control when depicting acts of domestic destruction, she taps into the feeling of powerlessness with striking precision at times.

“Home” tracks the return of Kevin (Sebastian Van Dun) to regular life after serving time in prison for a violent crime. He slips into his teenage cousin’s social scene, soon befriending John (Mistral Guidotti), a withdrawn young man who lives with his monstrous mother (Els Deceukelier). While initially introduced through separate subplots, Kevin and John emerge as parallel tales of ruined lives struggling to find some type of balance. Kevin is offered a second chance but can’t quite mute his toxic instincts. John begs for a different life, but can’t escape his parent’s authority, which includes verbal lashings and mind games, and in the feature’s most controversial moment (and most clumsily handled), there’s sexual abuse involved as well. Troch tries to move beyond teen angst with “Home,” inspecting constant battles with behavior and authority figures who either don’t understand what’s going on or choose not to.

Home Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation achieves a bright viewing experience when dealing with natural lighting and illuminated rooms. Detail delivers exact facial surfaces during these scenes, highlighting adolescent skin issues, along with casual costuming, which remains fibrous. Locations are dimensional, offering examination of domestic and school settings. Colors are exact, working with darker outfits and natural skintones. Adult environments provide a warmer palette. Delineation is acceptable. Mild banding is detected.

Home Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix secures performance choices, with direct dialogue exchanges working through some mumbled and whispered acting, while more defined arguments remain accessible. Scoring is supportive throughout, surging at times with an electro pop beat, which is crisp and clean, offering some low-end thump. Atmospherics are satisfactory, selling school and homelife bustle.

Home Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Trailer (1:53, HD) is included.

Home Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Troch strives to keep the spirit of today's youth alive in "Home," blending cell phone videos into the cinematographic stream of the movie, and scoring efforts from Chromatics member Johnny Jewel soak the endeavor in synth. Character studies are really what works best in the film, which gets out of Troch's control at times, especially when she's trying too hard to push buttons. The helmer displays more skill with intimate moments of camaraderie, confusion, and tests of patience, keeping the feature away from the button-pushing stuff that always falls flat.