7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
An aspiring female high-school journalist assumes a fake male identity after her essay on just that subject -- a woman posing as a male jock -- is rejected in a contest.
Starring: Joyce Hyser, Clayton Rohner, Billy Jayne, Toni Hudson, William ZabkaTeen | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps)
English SDH, French
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Just One of the Guys may not be first on the tip of the tongue when it's time to rattle off a list of the best high school films from the 1980s, but it is certainly one of the more enjoyable. Directed by Lisa Gottlieb (Cadillac Ranch), the film captures that quintessential decade spirit in its look, its style, and its story, exploring the literal and figurative battle of the sexes on that ever-evolving battleground within the hallowed halls of high school. The twist is a gender-bending lead who finds herself in a world of jocks, fueled by testosterone, and dedicated to proving that gender inequality is alive and well in her time. The film is hardly a classic nor a breath of fresh air but it's nevertheless a lot of fun in the moment, carried by a spirited lead and a zippy cadence that help mask the inherent flaws, including unoriginality and a failure to push emotional boundaries. But as a breezy time killer it's a fairly satisfying watch.
Sony's pressed MOD (Manufactured on Demand) Blu-ray release of Just One of the Guys delivers a fairly good viewing experience if not one that shows some trouble spots at various points. This is a fair image in the aggregate, generally film-like but showing some digital processing upon closer inspection. Grain is sometimes -- oftentimes -- flattering and efficient but there are times when it's obviously less organic than ideal, swarming with mild artifacts that seem to break down rather than build up the picture quality. Look at the background on the walls in the six-minute mark. It's not grainy, it's noisy and clumpy, processed and imperfect. But for the most part, the picture holds relatively steady and pleasing to the eye, certainly approaching best-case scenario for a relatively low budget and aging film released to Blu-ray without much in the way of fanfare or technical bells and whistles. Core details are just fine, with period attire showcasing honest intricacy and faces enjoying flattering definition throughout. Environments are sharp, ranging from cluttered teenage bedrooms to high school classrooms, from school parking lots to make-out caves. Colors are the technical high point. There's plenty of pop and positive saturation to the myriad of tones seen on period clothes, all of which jump off the screen with impressive intensity. There's little color bleed, too, a plus particularly when looking at some of the more punchy, dominant reds. Black levels and skin tones are generally fine. The print is relatively clean to boot. There's some room for improvement, but honestly it would be unfair to expect a whole lot more. Take away some of the more garish examples of processing, which aren't too destructive to most of the image anyway, and this would rate very highly on the lower-end catalogue release scale.
Just One of the Guys arrives on Blu-ray with a perfectly proficient DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. The film is dialogue heavy and while there are few moments that sound a little hollow (a dialogue scene between Terry and Rick at the 56-minute mark) the spoken word generally flows with perfectly acceptable definition and center-position imaging. Music enjoys good spread along the front and essential detail throughout the track. Light atmospherics around school -- background chatter, cafeteria din, clanking lockers -- are well integrated and nicely detailed as well. There's nothing particularly memorable here but everything works well enough in context.
Sony's Blu-ray release of Just One of the Guys contains an audio commentary track and a trailer. No DVD or digital copies are included. This
release does not ship with a slipcover.
Just One of the Guys fails to catapult into the 80s high school stratosphere alongside films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. That doesn't make it a substandard movie. On the contrary, it's quite a bit of fun if not redundant and predictable, playing well in the moment and enjoying the opportunity to soak up and plow through genre essentials with a gender-bending twist. Sony's Blu-ray is capable, delivering generally solid video, agreeable audio, and a commentary track. Recommended.
2009
Collector's Edition
1987
Theatrical & Extended 4K / TV Cut SD
1985
1980s Best of the Decade
1984
1985
1987
2010
2012
1985
2009
2009
Unrated + Theatrical
2006
Collector's Edition
1983
1989
2015
1982
20th Anniversary Edition
1989
1981
1985
Choice Collection
2001