How to Make an American Quilt Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		2.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

How to Make an American Quilt Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 9, 2019

Winona Ryder was the “It Girl” of the early 1990s, participating in a succession of wonderful films from a wide range of directors, building a reputation for fine work and tasteful creative choices. There’s was Martin Scorsese’s “The Age of Innocence,” Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” Gillian Armstrong’s “Little Women,” Ben Stiller’s “Reality Bites,” and Tim Burton’s “Edward Scissorhands.” But the actress’s reign had to come to an end, and it did with 1995’s “How to Make an America Quilt,” which provided Ryder with her last hit movie for quite some time, soon losing her sharpness in endeavors such as “Boys” and “The Crucible.” Of course, it would hard to flop in “How to Make an American Quilt,” which finds Ryder joined by an ensemble of uniquely talented actresses questing to portray the idiosyncratic members of a quilting bee struggling with relationship woes and stained memories. It’s an adaptation of a Whitney Otto novel (scripted by Jane Anderson), and director Jocelyn Moorhouse crafts a literary- minded feature that attempts to replicate the flow of a book, moving from chapter to chapter to explore the pain of silenced spirits and uncontrollable passions. Ryder’s great here, but so is everyone else, contributing to a sensitive, expansive picture with an atypically honest assessment of mistakes made in the name of love.

Finn (Winona Ryder) is 26 years old and doesn’t know what to do with herself. She’s locked into position as the fiancée of Sam (Dermot Mulroney), an architect who’s excited to begin his life with Finn, building a house for the couple while she steps away for the summer, determined to finish her graduate thesis. Finn elects to stay with her grandmother, Hy (Ellen Burstyn), for the season, enjoying the pleasures and privacy of rural California. Finn also hopes to interview the Grasse Quilting Bee as they put together their latest work, based on the theme “Where Love Resides.” Settling into the household, Finn makes time to learn more about her Aunt Glady (Anne Bancroft), and others in the Bee, including Sophia (Lois Smith), Anna (Maya Angelou), Constance (Kate Nelligan), Marianna (Alfre Woodard), and Em (Jean Simmons), understanding the root of their big heartbreaks and life-changing decisions. Pondering her own future with a marriage she doesn’t want, Finn finds a distraction in local swimmer Leon (Johnathon Schaech), who pursues the new woman in town, giving her the thrill of attraction as she faces a personal crisis.

“How to Make an American Quilt” is truly an anthology movie, with Finn finally taking time to meet with the women of the Bee. While having known these people for almost her entire life, Finn is ready to learn more about the events that shaped their personalities, using the information for her thesis, which is a writing event she’s unsure about, much like everything else in her life. The story explores the backstory of nearly every character, examining the disruptions of relationships as they’re challenged by illness, distance, and infidelity. For Hy, a moment of weakness while her husband slowly dies inside a hospital leads her to the comfort of Arthur (Rip Torn), Glady’s husband, damaging a tight sibling bond that requires decades of work to repair. As a young woman, Anna is tempted by Beck (Jared Leto), the son of her employer, ending up with a baby on the way as she strives to find her independence. Em (played by Joanna Going in flashbacks) is happy to be consumed by artist Dean (Tim Guinee), only to learn that his passions are spread around to all the local ladies, leaving her married to a serial philanderer. The most potent subplot highlights Sophia (Samantha Mathis), whose spirit as a diver is diminished after being seduced by Preston (Loren Dean), a man who gives her a special sexual experience, only to saddle her with motherhood demands, spending his life leaving for lengthy work trips until the day comes when he doesn’t return at all. Such trauma creates bitterness, which tracks into Sophia’s adulthood, making her the most feared member of the squad, with Smith capturing such bitter bluntness superbly.

Finn is a troubled character, and story doesn’t take her crisis lightly. She’s facing marriage to a stable, caring man, but her mind won’t give herself over to such potential marital comfort. Finn wants something more for herself, refusing to believe in the lure of monogamy, using her graduate student mind to deconstruct the institution as she absorbs all sorts of sad tales of broken hearts. Leon is a distraction, and one who’s eager to get close to Finn, using the power of his shirtlessness and fresh strawberries to charm her. While most films would go melodramatic with Finn’s interests in having an affair, “How to Make an American Quilt” treats such temptation with honesty, unafraid to keep the twentysomething somewhat unlikable as she tries to figure out her needs with proper experience. It’s not a huge leap of drama, but it’s welcome, adding complications to the mix.

How to Make an American Quilt Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a decidedly average Universal catalog viewing experience. While the original DVD release was an ancient non-anamorphic offering, there's no fresh scan to savor here, though, admittedly, this is an improvement over the previous home video release. Detail is soft throughout, losing the sharpness of skin and the defined craftwork going into the quilts. Textures aren't strong, keeping a true appreciation of cinematographic achievements just out of reach. Colors fair a little better, delivering a sense of the summery mood, with blue skies and the vast greenery of the orange grove locations. Costuming is adequate, and quilting hues are passable. Skintones are a tad bloodless but acceptable. Delineation isn't ideal, but crush is minimal. Source is in good shape.

How to Make an American Quilt Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is bit problematic. There are a few warbling issues with the score around the 101:00 mark, and the track is mostly centered, playing much like a mono listening event for the 1995 feature. Fronts are employed sporadically throughout the listening event, mostly during scoring surges, but they act like surrounds, with music and dialogue fitted only for the center most of the time. It's strange, but intelligibility isn't lost, with performances still open for inspection. There's just limited expanse to the mix, which doesn't seem to be the filmmaker's intent.

How to Make an American Quilt Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

How to Make an American Quilt Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Moorhouse has a fine visual sense with "How to Make an American Quilt," capturing the artistry of quilt construction and the silent agony of the characters. She's great with performances too, using her ensemble well, offering private moments for everyone, even when editing takes some big chunks out of the narrative, with Marianna suffering the most in the final cut. Also supporting the viewing experience is Thomas Newman's masterful score (one of the finest of his career), which provides sonic glue to keep the chapters together, but also captures the warmth of the room, with the quilt supplying a reason for weekly gatherings, despite brewing differences among the women. It's gorgeous music, adding soulful communication of atmosphere that helps the picture achieve its engrossing sense of collaboration and contemplation.