7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Should a priest tell his congregation what they want to hear instead of the truth? That's just one of the issues raised in this witty and thought-provoking film version of Bill C. Davis' Tony-nominated Broadway hit. Jack Lemmon is Father Tim Farley, a complacent priest in a wealthy suburban parish who drives a Mercedes and cracks jokes from the pulpit. Along comes idealistic Mark Dolson, a radical seminarian who accuses Farley of "song and dance theology". The result is a head-on clash that teaches each man the true meaning of faith.
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Zeljko Ivanek, Charles Durning, Louise Latham, Alice HirsonDrama | 100% |
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
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Perfect casting doesn’t come around very often, but when it happens, it’s a real treat for movie fans. 1984’s “Mass Appeal” has perfect casting, with Jack Lemmon hired to play the part of a priest. Not just a man of God, but an old-school priest who lives to entertain and inspire with his sermons, loves to kick back with some cocktails, and generally deals with church business at arm’s length, preferring to be a man of the people. Lemmon was specifically built for these kinds of roles, and he singlehandedly elevates “Mass Appeal” with his spirited, layered performance. Thankfully, there’s material to back him up, with the feature an adaptation of a play by Bill C. Davis (who also scripts), providing fascinating ideas on faith and service while Lemmon commands the picture with his thespian gifts, offering a lived-in feel to a potentially stuffy endeavor.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from an older scan of the feature, which resembles many previous Universal catalog titles. Slight filtering is present, softening fine detail, presenting a limited view of facial surfaces and costume textures. Exteriors are also restrained. Colors are aged, but warmer interiors of the church and offices are appreciable, along with more defined primaries, such as Farley's green Sunday outfit. Delineation struggles with the deep blacks of the priest uniforms, losing some information. Source is in decent condition.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix isn't challenged, primarily dealing with dialogue exchanges, which sound a tad fuzzy, but intelligibility isn't threatened. Scoring cues offer dramatic support, with louder brass and assorted instrumentation.
Ivanek commits to a potentially unpleasant part, working to humanize Dolson, who's introduced a man who enjoys confrontation, only to reveal a deeper passion for updating church laws, which connects to his own personal history. It's a capable performance, and Durning is just as commanding, basically playing the villain of the piece as Burke is close-minded and paranoid about public opinion. Most viewers sitting down to watch "Mass Appeal" are doing so because of Lemmon's participation, with the celebrated actor emerging as the soul of the story, delivering a performance that's filled with frustrations and confusion, though Farley is best explored through the delicate details of his hectic schedule. He's a practiced glad-hander and comfortable priest enduring a profound shake-up of his sensibilities, and Lemmon nails the nuances of the part, ideally suited to communicate the raw nerve aspects of the writing. "Mass Appeal" isn't a thunderous overview of church politics, offering a milder sense of exploration and conflict, which works with the more contemplative mood Davis creates and Lemmon absolutely nails.
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