Losin' It Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Losin' It Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 6, 2019

The late Curtis Hanson ended up in a place of Hollywood regality, managing to secure his legacy through efforts such as “Wonder Boys,” “8 Mile,” and “L.A. Confidential,” which won him an Academy Award. However, before his placement on the A-list, Hanson nurtured a career as a B-movie specialist, trying to build a reputation as a man capable of quality work while still following box office trends. In the 1980s, one of the hottest subgenres around was the teen horndog comedy, with the massive success of “Porky’s” inspiring countless knockoffs, gifting desperate producers a chance to ride the turn in adolescent entertainment. The broadly titled “Losin’ It” is Hanson’s stab at capturing the troublemaking ways of young men desperate to lose their virginity, embarking on an odyssey into the craziness of Mexico to achieve their one and only goal. The helmer’s mission is to create a pleasant ride of mischief, yet Hanson always seems a bit confused with his job, striving to position characterization in the middle of a weak farce, coming up with a feature that’s not funny and never as deeply felt as Hanson would like it to be.

As high school nears its end for Dave (Jackie Earle Haley), Woody (Tom Cruise), and Spider (John Stockwell), dreams of sexual contact with girls cloud their minds. Their mission is to take a trip to Tijuana, with plans to sample the local prostitutes and alcohol, trying to experience the craziest week of their lives while Dave’s beloved car is serviced by a local mechanic. Joining the fun is Dave’s little brother, Wendell (John P. Navin Jr.), a smart kid with cash who’s trying to stock up on fireworks to sell to classmates back home. Before they exit America, the foursome meets with Kathy (Shelley Long), an angry woman who’s hunting for a quickie divorce south of the border. Making their way into town, the young men try to enjoy the local sights and sounds, with virginal Woody coming into contact with an actual chance to have sex, while Dave grows obsessed with acquiring Spanish Fly and Spider has difficulties with his anger issues, rubbing the local Sheriff (Henry Darrow) the wrong way. As their long evening is complicated with even more trouble from the community, the four teenagers try to navigate a land where everyone is out to scam them, while Woody and Kathy begin to spend time together, with the young married woman responding to the boy’s gentle ways and eager interest in having an adult experience.

“Losin’ It” is set in the 1950s, but there’s no major push to keep the feature locked in the time period. The film is bookended by a chirpy, era- specific pop tune, and it opens with joke that references “Star Wars.” Granted, it’s expensive to replicate the 1950s, but Hanson doesn’t try hard to keep a certain level of authenticity around, mainly using the decade to reinforce teen gullibility, with Dave, Woody, and Spider firmly believing that all their sex dreams will come true in Tijuana, also they’re hungry for a chance to watch a donkey show, getting the full Mexican experience. Personalities are simplified for easier digestion, finding Spider the hot-headed athlete, Dave the needy pervert, and Woody the confused sweetheart, so eager to experience intercourse with a woman, he gladly ditches his girlfriend to sample a prostitute. So much for the sweetheart part.

The guys pick up Kathy while shoplifting from the store she co-owns with her dismissive husband, and this addition offers screenwriter B.W.L. Norton a chance to break away from male energy now and then, following Kathy as she attempts to secure a speedy divorce in Mexico, only to find time to cool down and start enjoying some of the nightlife, attracted to Woody and deceptively gentle ways. However, most of “Losin’ It” is filled with shenanigans, with Dave the conductor of multiple failed missions to seduce the locals, trying to stack the deck in his favor with the procurement of Spanish Fly, hoping the mythical pill will soften the resolve of a pretty girl. Spider has a harder time in Tijuana, mixing it up with military men on leave, ending up in a jail cell that’s controlled by a hulking local. “Losin’ It” covers more ground by separating the characters, but missing are laughs, finding mischief unremarkable, with Hanson unable to get momentum going when it comes to calamitous interactions. There’s even a botched running gag concerning Dave’s claim that he has a large penis, with the reality of the situation revealed early while Norton continues to tease a mystery that isn’t really there, preparing for a climatic reveal the viewer is already prepared for.

Losin' It Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Losin' It" arrives on Blu-ray 18 years after its DVD debut, with the back cover claiming a "Brand new 2K source master." It's strange wording, but Kino Lorber delivers what appears to be a scan of a film print, working to find HD texture for a movie that wasn't created with the boldest cinematographic needs to begin with. Detail is satisfactory, managing the highlights of Tijuana as misadventures enter scuzzy bars and a jail cell. Set decoration is passable, capturing signage as well. Clothing retains period looks, also maintaining sheerness for some working girl outfits. Softness remains, but not oppressively so, finding distances appreciable and community activity open for study. Colors are a bit more active, enjoying extreme neon lighting during town tours and parties inside strip clubs. Vivid purples and reds are helpful, while clothing heads in a more sedate direction, with lighter blues and yellows. Greenery retains punch. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable but never remarkable. Source is in reasonable shape, working through mild judder and speckling.

Losin' It Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix for "Losin' It" doesn't do much to support the viewing experience. It's a muddy track, dealing with age and wear, with a pronounced point of damage around the 9:00 mark wiping out intelligibility for a brief moment. Dialogue exchanges aren't strong, offering only a basic understanding of language and emotion. Heated confrontations and screaming from Haley fuzzes out at its loudest. Soundtrack selections are very quiet, pushed way down on the track, which doesn't sound natural for a period picture. Atmospherics are crowded, failing to separate some of the mayhem found in Tijuana nightlife.

Losin' It Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:26, HD) is included.

Losin' It Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's a good sense of local life in "Losin' It," and while it's not complementary to Mexicans, the screenplay does commit to the concept that everyone in town is determined to separate tourists from their money and valuables. And Haley seems personally motivated to keep the feature as cartoonish as possible, sweating through slapstick situations and turning up vocal volume to be the one who delivers laughs. Hanson offers broadness, but there's also sensitivity between Woody and Kathy, which more about satisfying screenplay formula than creating an organic pairing of needy souls. Screen energy is throttled in "Losin' It," which doesn't connect as a nudity-laden sex comedy, finding Hanson unable to give himself over to the subgenre in full, instead pushing the effort into emotional stakes it doesn't earn and silliness that isn't polished. There's always the craziness of life in Tijuana, but that's not enough to support the picture in full.