Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Nobody's Fool Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 17, 2019

Tyler Perry has not just made a name for himself in Hollywood -- names are pretty much a dime a dozen -- but also turned his name into a brand in and of itself. He is such a prominent, dominant figure in Hollywood that the fact that Nobody's Fool is his first film to release under the Paramount label rather than the familiar Lionsgate home is a triviality at best for his fans. Perhaps of more interest to Perry's fans is that this is his first R-rated film. It's not that Nobody's Fool is some super-racy or in some other way provocative film or so expletive-laden as to make Tarantino blush, but it is a little more raw and real, taking a few more risks in character building, language, and sexuality. The film still made a healthy return on its modest budget, so Perry's fans were obviously not turned away by the MPAA's ruling.

Danica (Tika Sumpter) has been in a relationship with Charlie (Mehcad Brooks) for just about a year. They are crazy about one another and there’s talk of being soul mates, but theirs is a long distance relationship. So long distance, in fact, that the two have never met. The relationship has been built entirely in the digital realm and over the phone. It’s a relationship made and facilitated by technology but also one hindered by technology. They have never spoken face-to-face over the Internet because Charlie claims his WiFi connection is too unreliable and slow to even try. But for Danica, he checks off every item on her “ideal man” list, even if she's never even shaken his hand. Certainly, one day, this Mr. Perfect will be in her arms, and the lengthy digital and verbal courtship will be a funny footnote in their happily-ever-after.

But while Danica waits for Charlie, a local coffee shop owner, a handsome, well-built man named Frank (Omari Hardwick), finds himself so attracted to her that he allows her to skip the morning line for coffee and refuses to take her money. He’s smitten with her, and she might be smitten with him, too, were it not for her almost ghostly “boyfriend” waiting in the wings. But things are about to go topsy-turvy when Danica’s rambunctious sister Tanya (Tiffany Haddish) is released from prison after five years behind bars. As soon as Tanya discovers what sort of “relationship” her sister has with Charlie, she calls foul, believing that Charlie is “catfishing” Danica, and she will have none of that, going so far as to contact a pair of TV “catfishing hunters” to expose Charlie for what he really is. Meanwhile, Tanya finds employment in Frank’s coffee shop and starts making moves on him.

Nobody’s Fool is a contemporary Romance but not necessarily a cutting-edge Romance. Similar stories have been told before, notably in various film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Perry, who also wrote the film, captures the busy, complex world of a professional caught in a whirlwind of modern romance shaped by instant messaging, emojis, and the complicated emotions that come with it all. Danica is a smart woman, obviously, but is she thinking clearly when it comes to her love life? Haddish’s Tanya is not necessarily a voice of reason, but she is a voice of such boisterous volume and aggression that Danica, who is alternatively cool and calm (though she does start her day with a few sexy dance moves to some upbeat Janet Jackson music), might just need that jolt her sister provides to maybe see the relationship for what it is: a phantom made of good intentions and kind words, not flesh-and-blood bonding.

The movie pulls Danica in a few directions. She must discover if Charlie is who he says he is, and if he is, great, and if he is not, then perhaps she has an alternative in Frank. Should she hold onto a dream of a man she doesn’t know beyond a voice or the man right in front of her, giving her not the gift of free coffee but rather the gift of a physical presence and an opportunity in the here-and-now, not in some possible perfect future? Things change when Danica learns a little more about Frank’s past and also when her sister starts putting the not-so-subtle moves on him. Suddenly, Danica's life and expectations are upended, but for better or for worse, it will all lead her to the bottom-line in her love life, which has to be healthier in the long run than living in a dream.

Nobody's Fool Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Nobody's Fool features a well-rounded 1080p transfer. The digitally sourced image is clean and nicely detailed. Whether slick, modern lines inside Danica's apartment or the more tangible brickwork outside her mother's home, the image finds a nice, grounded textural complexity and clarity that carries every scene. Character details are also rich, with healthy depth and vitality to skin textures, well defined hair down to the individual strand level, and visibility of various tattoos along Frank's arms. Colors are healthy and full. Contrast is dialed in perfectly, black level depth is terrific, and skin tones appear true to actor complexion. The image is home to some lower light noise, obvious in a bedroom scene at Danica's apartment in chapter three when she first brings Tanya back to her place. No other significant source or encode flaws are apparent.

Nobody's Fool Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is proficient in its delivery of the film's basic sound design needs. Music offers nice front-expansive placement and good instrumental clarity, revealing essential and subtle orchestral details alike with affirming clarity and harmonic togetherness. There's also some good, subtle depth to a song in chapter nine during a lovemaking scene. Dialogue, which is the track's key sonic component, is presented clearly and in perfect working order. The track is otherwise straightforward with very little detail beyond music and dialogue. Some nighttime insect ambience filters across the stage, and wraps a little around to the rears, in chapter eight during a key nighttime exterior scene. Minor office atmospherics also enter the stage in a few scenes in Danica's workplace. This is not a track that will challenge sound systems, but its Blu-ray delivery is just fine within its fairly limited nature.

Nobody's Fool Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Nobody's Fool contains several extras, outlined below. DVD and digital copies are included with purchase. The release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Introduction by Tyler Perry and Tiffany Haddish (1080p, 0:14): The pair introduce the extras with the promise of more raunchy goodness.
• Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes (1080p, 23:16 total runtime): Included are The List Team - Alternate, I Can Count Money - Deleted, That's My Sister - Deleted, Catfish - Extended, Will I Be Seeing You at the Wedding? - Alternate, Client Meeting - Alternate, You Should Be Mad Too - Alternate, We Need to Find Him - Alternate, Where the Hell Have You Been? - Alternate, Charlie Is Real - Alternate, What's Wrong With Your Sister? - Deleted, and Wedding Crasher - Alternate.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 2:00): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Tale of Two Sisters (1080p, 5:03): A closer look at Danica and Tanya's characters and their places in the plot.
• The Legend and the Star (1080p, 4:27): A look at Whoopi Goldberg: the person and the character she plays.
• Mocha Latte Extra Laughs (1080p, 4:05): Talking up Tiffany Haddish and Omari Hardwick: the actors and the characters they portray.
• I'm Just Trusting Tyler Perry (1080p, 4:48): This piece focuses on Chris Rock's character and performance.
• She Ready or Not: Here Comes the Wedding Crasher (1080p, 4:41): A closer look at the subplot involving Danica's ex and his fiancé.
• Bring the Funny (1080p, 3:48): A look at Tanya's intro scene and Michael Blackson's cameo in it.
• Breakfast with Tiffany (1080p, 11:12): Tiffany Haddish talks Nobody's Fool with Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, and Amber Riley.
• "Something New from Tyler Perry" Perfume (1080p, 0:31): The cast appears in a comical ad for the movie.
• "Catfished" Perfume with Outtakes (1080p, 1:27): Another "ad" like the one above with a quick "making of" thrown in at the end.

Nobody's Fool Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Nobody's Fool isn't a particularly good or particularly bad movie. It has some interesting points of intrigue as Danica wrestles with the possibility of a perfect relationship at some future date and the opportunity to maybe find it in the flesh in the here-and-now with another man. Her sister's arrival on the scene is both a blessing and a curse, a blessing in that she forces Danica to confront some cold, hard truths, a curse in that she's more than a little obnoxious, even if she generally means well. The acting is fairly good and the writing isn't bad. But the movie doesn't have enough to offer to elevate it beyond popcorn fun and into the annals of storybook RomComs. Paramount's Blu-ray delivers quality video and audio presentations. A healthy allotment of extra content is included. Recommended.