Jason's Lyric Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Jason's Lyric Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 6, 2023

Doug McHenry's "Jason's Lyric" (1994) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only bonus feature on the release is a vintage theatrical trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The best spot in H-Town

If you begin examining the lives of boys and young men that become serious troublemakers you will very quickly discover that they have one thing in common -- all were raised without a father. You may encounter a few exceptions where a grown man occasionally circled them and had some positive effect on their lives, but the crucial void was still there. A father that would have helped them transition from boyhood to manhood as only a father could was absent. It is always the same story. Always. There is a unique educational bond that materializes between a boy and his father and there is nothing that can replace it.

The opening twenty or so minutes of Doug McHenry’s film Jason’s Lyric offer classic evidence supporting the validity of the above statement. In a rough area of Huston, Texas, teenage boys Jason and Joshua observe how their mother (Suzzanne Douglas) is harassed by Maddog (Forest Whitaker), a middle-aged Vietnam vet who has lost a leg. After failing to preserve the family they started their mother and Maddog have parted ways, but from time to time the latter reappears and causes trouble while demanding that they see him as their father. Despite their young age, the boys see Maddog for what he is -- a perpetually angry stranger with a drinking problem. When Maddog attempts to force himself on their mother, a gun goes off and a bullet hits him in the chest. Moments later, Maddog dies choking on his blood.

Some years later, Jason (Allen Payne) greets Joshua (Bokeem Woodbine) after he is released from prison. The two are now young men. Jason has been working hard in a local electronics shop and helping his mother make ends meet. They are still living in the old house where Maddog died, but their neighborhood has changed because drug dealers have moved in and claimed different areas of it. Before they reach the old house Jason and Joshua bump into Rat (Eddie Griffin), an old friend, then pick up another friend, and shortly after another. While soaking up his freedom, Joshua quickly becomes inebriated and when he is finally greeted by his mother and a big group of relatives and neighbors, he instantly embarrasses himself.

In the days ahead, Jason tries his best to convince Joshua to stay off the streets, find a job, and set meaningful goals for himself. Instead, Joshua begins spending time with Ron (Lahmard J. Tate), a troublemaker, who eventually introduces him to Alonzo (Anthony ‘Treach’ Criss), a wannabe gangster. While hanging with Ron and Alonzo, Joshua is then brainwashed to believe that dealing, stealing, and robbing are what real men do to get ahead in life.

Around the same time, frustrated with his failure to change his brother’s mind but not yet aware that he has started evolving into a criminal, Jason meets Lyric (Jada Pinkett Smith) and instantly falls in love with her. He begins pursuing her and eventually they begin dating, but Joshua’s antics make it difficult for him to be as committed to Lyric as he wants. As Joshua continues to drift away, Jason also discovers that Alonzo is Lyric’s older brother.

Jason’s Lyric tells a powerful story about different kinds of love. A portion of this story is dedicated to the corrupted love between the young boys and their “lost father”. Another portion of the story is about Jason’s romantic relationship with Lyric and its potential to permanently redirect their lives. A portion of the film is also dedicated to the brotherly bond between Jason and Joshua which is defined by the strength of their respect and love for each other. Unsurprisingly, there is a great deal of overlapping material producing nuanced drama that constantly evolves.

The strength of the story is in its ability to produce seemingly endless thought-provoking contrasts without ever appearing preachy. When a tragedy occurs, there is always a clear reason that is linked to responsibility, not some grand fictional injustice. It is why the drama hits really, really hard -- ordinary people of different ages make judgment errors that easily could have been avoided.

Only Pinkett Smith overplays her character while she teases her future lover. The rest of the cast, even the supporting actors, is outstanding.

Francis Kenny’s superb lensing makes Jason’s Lyric look like a massive production that was supposed to impress at the right time so that it picks up at least a few major awards.

The soundtrack is outstanding, too. Some of the great tracks that can be heard throughout Jason’s Lyric are Brian McKnight’s “Crazy Love”, Mint Condition’s “If Trouble Was Money”, and Jodeci’s K-Ci and Jojo’s “If You Think You’re Lonely Now”. The undisputed jewel among them is Sovory’s “Love Is Still Enough”. (However, this writer thinks that Jason's Lyric should have used at least one track from Houston-based H-Town as well).

Jason's Lyric Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jason's Lyric arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by MGM. The biggest strength of this master is the lack of problematic digital corrections, which is the main reason Jason's Lyric has a pretty decent organic appearance. However, it is pretty easy to tell that the film can and should look fresher, more vibrant, and ultimately more attractive. Indeed, while most close-ups look pretty good, the wider panoramic shots have a dated appearance and always struggle to reveal all native details and nuances. This does not mean that depth, for instance, is problematic, but on a larger screen, it is very easy to tell that there should be more to see and appreciate (see screencaptures #7 and 13). In darker footage, there is light but noticeable black crush too, so some finer nuances are lost. Ideally, the master should better manage various highlights, but I was not bothered because the visuals still looked pretty good. Color balance is good. I liked the color temperature of the primaries and virtually all supporting nuances as well. However, this is another area where meaningful improvements can be made that will strengthen depth. Image stability is good. I noticed quite a few nicks, small blemishes, and even dark spots, so the film can look cleaner and healthier. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Jason's Lyric Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The dialog is always clear and easy to follow, so you will never feel the need to use the optional subtitles to get all exchanges. Balance is good, too. However, in different parts of the film, and especially when the music has an important role to play, from time to time the audio feels a bit thin. I would not describe this as a serious issue, but I am quite certain that a remastering job will introduce plenty of small yet meaningful improvements that will make the audio fuller and more potent.

Jason's Lyric Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Jason's Lyric. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Jason's Lyric Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Doug McHenry's film Jason's Lyric tells a powerful multi-layered story that proves yet again that father-absent homes are the main incubators of violence in America. There is a lot of love and romance in this story, but they do not transform Jason's Lyric into the wonderful romantic film some critics described a few decades ago. Jason's Lyric is a sad film about wasted opportunities and dreams, a tragic reminder that life is precious and needs to be treated as such. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an older but decent master that was supplied by MGM. Most people would be grateful to have it, but I would have loved to see Jason's Lyric fully remastered in 4K and sparkling like Love Jones. RECOMMENDED.