Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Life of Riley Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 3, 2015

Alain Resnais' "Life of Riley" a.k.a. "Aimer, boire et chanter" (2014) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; cast interviews; and an interview with film historian and critic Geoffrey O'Brien. The release also arrives with a 36-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by critic Cristina Álvarez López; a new note on his collaborations with Alain Resnais by playwright Alan Ayckbourn; and production imagery. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The actors

Life of Riley was Alain Resnais’ third adaptation of an Alan Ayckbourn play. (The previous two were Smoking/No Smoking and the excellent Private Fears in Public Places). In 2014, a month after the French director passed away, it won the Alfred Bauer Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

The film opens up in British suburbia where a group of married couples are getting ready to rehearse a famous play. Before they gather, however, they discover that one of their dearest friends, George Riley, has only a few months left to live.

After the initial shock, the couples invite George to join their play, but instead of focusing on the rehearsals they begin discussing the various roles their friend has had in their lives. (Though his name is frequently mentioned, George never steps in front of the camera). There are many unexpected revelations. Colin (Hippolyte Girardot, Capital) learns that years ago his wife Kathryn (Sabine Azéma, The Well-Digger's Daughter) had a romantic relationship with George which she never wanted to end. Tamara (Caroline Silhol, Finally, Sunday) also discovers that her husband, Jack (Michel Vuillermoz, A Very Long Engagement), who grew up with George, may not have been as faithful and committed to their relationship as she had believed he was during the years. George’s ex-wife, Monica (Sandrine Kiberlain, Tip Top), who has started a new life with the farmer Simeon (André Dussollier, Wild Grass), also begins to wonder whether now she is happier person.

The film is broken into multiple uneven episodes that focus on the various revelations and the effects they have on the trust between the men and the women. Initially, the foundations of their relationships appear very strong and they don’t seem too concerned that they may not have known everything they should have about their partners. However, as they begin to reevaluate their lives and alarming cracks appear they begin surprising each other with numerous honest questions and observations.

The narrative construction is very unusual. The entire film is staged, like a big chamber piece, and Resnais overlaps two separate plays -- Ayckbourn’s play about George and his friends and the play the couples are rehearsing. By doing so and while observing the exchanges between the couples, Resnais essentially demonstrates that real life is perhaps the ultimate play in which everyone has some sort of a role.

Shot with the Arri Alexa camera, the film looks strikingly sharp and vibrant. Light is carefully managed and the colors are so rich that at times the visuals actually feel quite surreal. Equally lush sketches by French comic-book artist Blutch are used to bridge the different episodes.

The film’s diverse soundtrack was created by award-winning American Mark Snow, who is probably best known for his terrific contributions to Chris Carter’s blockbuster sci-fi series The X-Files.

Life of Riley Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Alain Resnais' Life of Riley arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment.

Shot with the Arri Alexa camera, the film looks strikingly sharp and vibrant. Virtually all of the static close-ups are so remarkably detailed that they actually look like digital photographs. During the occasional panoramic shots depth is very impressive as well (see screencapture #9). Colors are exceptionally well saturated. The sketches that are used during the transitions also look terrific. My only complaint pertains to the sporadic shimmer (coupled with some aliasing) that pops up throughout the film (obvious examples can be seen at 00.10.25 and 00.42.39) and can be quite easy to see. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free Blu-ray player in order to access its content).

Life of Riley Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

Mark Snow's soundtrack has an important role through the film, but you should not expect impressive dynamic movement. Indeed, Life of Riley is essentially a filmed chamber piece with a fairly modest sound design. The dialog is crisp, stable, clean, and very easy to follow. There are no audio dropouts or digital distortions to report in this review.

Life of Riley Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Life of Riley. In French, with optional English subtitles. (2 min).

• Cast Interviews - in this video piece, Sandrine Kiberlain, Sabine Azéma, Hippolyte Girardot, Caroline Sihol, and André Dussollier discuss Alain Resnais' close relationship with theater, Life of Riley and its visual style, the specific framing of various sequences (and specifically the sequence-shots), the camera's movement and how it "sees" what the director and his actors can't, the lighting and use of color, etc. In French, with optional English subtitles. (17 min).

• Geoffrey O'Brien - in this video piece, film historian and critic Geoffrey O'Brien discusses the unique qualities and narrative structure of Life of Riley. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Booklet - 36-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by critic Cristina Álvarez López; a new note on his collaborations with Alain Resnais by playwright Alan Ayckbourn; and production imagery.

Life of Riley Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Alain Resnais' final film, Aimer, boire et chanter, suggests that life is a long play with some unexpected twists and we are all actors in it. It is true, though most of us admit it only when we reach its end. The film looks terrific on Blu-ray. If you are interested in Resnais work, I would also like to suggest picking up a copy of Private Fears in Public Places, another very good film adapted from an Alan Ayckbourn play. RECOMMENDED.