Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Little Sister Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 29, 2017

Director Zach Clark’s last picture was 2013’s “White Reindeer,” a fascinating dive into holiday depression and substance abuse, sold with a darkly comic attitude that gifted the effort a charmingly askew perspective. He returns with “Little Sister,” adding to his growing interest in unusual behavior and personal problems, trading Christmas gloom for religious questioning. Clark’s a compelling helmer, showcasing interests in characters struggling mightily to define themselves and deal with harsh observations from the outside world. “Little Sister” has a frustrating tendency to forgo resolution, but the journey is fascinating, picking up on the particulars of itchy personalities faced with an impossible challenge of self-awareness, forced to confront questionable decisions and commitments that threaten to take their lives in unwanted directions. Clark doesn’t enjoy endings, but he’s good with introductions.

Colleen (Addison Timlin) is a young woman on the path to becoming a nun, trying to keep up with all the responsibilities and concentration required to achieve her higher calling. Doubting her commitment is The Reverend Mother (Barbara Crampton), who tries to understand Colleen’s motivations and interest in Catholicism. Colleen is called back home by her mother, Joani (Ally Sheedy), who’s battling depression and recovering from a suicide attempt, excited to have her Iraq War-serving son, Jacob (Keith Poulson), finally back home. Moving into the guest house with fiancée Tricia (Kristin Slayman), Jacob is covered in burn wounds from an enemy bombing, living a reclusive life as cable news networks vie for an interview. Returning to her dysfunctional family, Colleen receives an unexpected awakening, working hard to reconnect with her shattered brother, getting back in touch with her years as a teen Goth, reviving adolescent rebellion at the very moment she’s committing herself to God.

To offer a clue about the mood of “Little Sister,” the movie (which is set in 2008) opens with a quote from a Marilyn Manson song, quickly establishing Clark’s sense of humor and tonal approach to the effort. However, this is no chaotic assembly of mockery, but a thoughtful examination of psychological crisis, opening with Colleen’s experiences in the convent, trying to participate in daily rituals and camaraderie, keeping The Reverend Mother on edge, especially when student requests access to a car for a five-day visit to her family’s home in Ashville, South Carolina. Trust is tentative but permission is granted, with Colleen called back after Joani sends an uncharacteristically positive email celebrating Jacob’s return. However, the week isn’t entirely about a long overdue reunion, but more of a crisis of faith, studying Colleen’s caution as she pulls out of her quiet routine, going back to greet the people who inspired her distance to begin with.

“Little Sister” has comedic moments, but it’s not concerned with big laughs, with Clark more interested in thinly veiled hostilities and ache shared amongst the group. Joani is a mess barely hanging on, forever wrestling with depression, smoking out her problems with marijuana supplied by a local farmer. Jacob is obviously in distress, returning to America covered in burn scarring all over his body, refusing access to the media, who want to turn him into a hero for publicity purposes. His outlet is heavy metal drumming, keeping a furious beat all day long. Most intriguing is Tricia, who’s fighting tremendous doubt about her decision to marry Jacob, unable to break the ice between them, taking her vulnerabilities and sexuality to online chat rooms, looking for connection in all the wrong places. “Little Sister” juggles supporting characters, examining their issues and tentative interactions, but Colleen’s journey drives the plot, following her way into paused lives, including a reconnection to Emily (Molly Plunk), her best friend from high school who’s now an animal activist convinced that violence is the only way to truly change anything.

Colleen undergoes a transformation in “Little Sister,” exposing herself to memories provided by family VHS productions. She also reconnects with her Goth-adoring adolescence, restoring her former pink-haired appearance to crack Jacob’s distance, and doing so through a lip-sync performance of GWAR song that celebrates child murder (marking the only time the horror band’s music has managed to mend a relationship). The metal bonds are strong throughout “Little Sister,” and Clark keeps a semi-autobiographical atmosphere to the picture, picking a specific offering of teen expression to inspect, creating a gentle back and forth between the siblings, who genuinely love each other. Colleen’s drive to heal Jacob is reinforced by her heavenly education, which extends to concerns for Joani’s heath, forcing the pair to confront their toxic relationship. However, instead of cliché, Clark’s screenplay takes an honest look at the wear and tear of parental responsibility, especially when experienced by a woman who never enjoyed the job in the first place. Not many films have the guts to go there.

Little Sister Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers the distinctly HD-shot look of the feature, which merges sharp close-ups with softer environments. Detail is accessible, best with facial particulars and rural surroundings, maintaining depth and texture to best appreciate creative interests. Colors are spot-on, sampling religious restraint with browns and blues, while Goth detours bring out bolder hues, including bright pinks and reds. Costuming retains power, along with make-up extremity. Skintones are natural. Delineation isn't problematic.

Little Sister Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Drumming plays an important part in the 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix, delivering a sharp, crisp element to the overall listening experience that's quite pleasing, driving dramatics and giving authority to the low-end. Music in general remains ideal, presented with fullness and detailed instrumentation, also giving surrounds some presence. Dialogue exchanges are tight and deep, picking up on emotional nuances and argumentative behavior without reaching distortive extremes. Atmospherics retain interior echo and outdoor environments, and group activity preserves position.

Little Sister Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes (4:53, HD) are actually little snippets from the cutting room floor, not anything substantial, showcasing pieces of characterization, travel, and narrative connective tissue.

• "Excerpts from 'Rock & Roll Eulogy'" (12:38, SD) offers chunks of Zach Clark's first movie, which toured a few film festivals in 2004. It's a B&W offering, thematically close to "Little Sister," and cost $1000 to produce. Frankly, it looks like it.

• Home Movies (2:59, SD) combines all the VHS memories found in the film, presented here without processing to age them down for the feature.

• "Pro-Star Entertainment Commercial" (:37, SD) presents the jokey, Tim and Eric-style ad for professional musical services.

• "Q&A with Ally Sheedy and Zach Clark" (30:55, HD) is a mild discussion of the "Little Sister" development and production process, captured at a gathering celebrating the New York Film Critics Series. It's hosted by critic Peter Travers, who almost seems like he'd rather be the one to answer his own questions.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:09, HD) is included.

Little Sister Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Little Sister" starts off strong, with an exceptional sonic presence (metal drumming drives pace and adds symbolism) and sophisticated characters, providing an entry point to satisfying conflicts and unusual dramatic directions. The last act dissolves into mild chaos, arriving at Halloween night with the brood, which involves a costume party, a medical emergency, and the accidental ingestion of psychedelics. Clark is more interested in the visual possibilities of this closer, failing to finish off a few character arcs, which gives the effort a nagging incompleteness. "Little Sister" tries to land on a positive note, but there's nothing about the rest of the feature that earns it. Structure falls away, bruising an otherwise accomplished endeavor to dissect human behavior that's under duress, touching on the subtleties of faith, love, and the wisdom of Marilyn Manson.