Lorenzo's Oil Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Lorenzo's Oil Blu-ray Movie Review

A compelling drama from George Miller (Babe: A Pig in the City).

Lorenzo's Oil is a heartwarming tale which explores the determination of the human heart. Inspired by true stories about a rare disease and the battle to cure it, Lorenzo's Oil received two Academy Award nominations: Best Actress (Susan Sarandon) and Best Original Screenplay. Nick Nolte co-stars. A compelling drama.

Augusto Odone (Nick Nolte) and Michaela Odone (Susan Sarandon) face the impossible when the loving couple learns that their young son, Lorenzo, has a rare and terminal disease. Determined to never give up hope for their beloved son and his future, Augusto and Michaela seek out every possible option for curing the disease while speaking to a host of doctors, physicians, and others affected by the rare illness. Fighting for Lorenzo with unyielding love, the journey to saving Lorenzo is an odyssey of heartfelt determination and a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

The performances by Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte are both terrific. The soul of Lorenzo's Oil is the humanity of these performances. The actors play well against each other and help the story excel: exploring the struggles of the characters as the couple search for a cure. Sarandon is especially impressive (imbuing her performance with great warmth and sensitivity).

The love of family.

The cinematography by John Seale (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Cold Mountain) explores the filmmaking well. The visuals place an emphasis on the production design crafted by Kristi Zea (Revolutionary Road, Confessions of a Shopaholic) and the art direction by Dennis Bradford (Deep Impact, Star Trek). The film manages to be imbued with real dramatic heft as a result.

One of the most impressive elements of Lorenzo's Oil is the effective costumes designed by Colleen Atwood (Sleepy Hollow, Chicago). Atwood, one of the best costume designers in the entire industry, delivered costumes which are perfectly fitting for the characters and the time-period. The efforts are exceptional in helping to tell the tale.

Directed by George Miller (Babe: Pig in the City, Happy Feat), who co-penned the script with Nick Enright (Come in Spinner, Blackrock), Lorenzo's Oil is a strong dramatic effort. The filmmaking is heartfelt and compelling. The story pulls at the heart-strings. Miller tells the story with heart and compassion. The final scenes of the film are especially potent. An outstanding production that is layered and deeply moving.

Lorenzo's Oil Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Lorenzo's Oil is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The release is a little bit inconsistent. The print used is a faded and out-dated transfer which was clearly taken from an old master. The print has little in the way of print damage or wear but the scan also never shines that brightly (with the older master being average- at-best). Film grain is intact on the print and the scan manages to be decent overall but it never impresses much. Lorenzo's Oil could have benefited from more restoration efforts.

Lorenzo's Oil Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The audio track is acceptable and manages to closely match the quality of the video presentation. The audio is clear and never sounds overly harsh during the presentation. Dialogue sounds perfectly fine: crisp, clear, and easy to understand. Yet the soundtrack is a bit lackluster sounding – without much in the way of bass or extra depth. A decent audio track.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Lorenzo's Oil Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by film historian and critic Peter Tonguette

Lorenzo's Oil Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:30)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Mulholland Falls (HD, 2:01), Grace Quigley (HD, 1:49), Jefferson in Paris (SD, 2:44), New York Stories (SD, 3:20), The January Man (HD, 1:29), and Cradle Will Rock (SD, 2:19).

Lorenzo's Oil Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lorenzo's Oil is an impressive drama with plenty to offer. The filmmaking is emotionally resonant and full of heart. The direction by George Miller (Babe: Pig in the City) is strong and helps bring out the best of both Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte. The Blu-ray features a decent video-audio presentation (but could have benefited from a more thorough restoration effort). Recommended.