Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Roadie Blu-ray Movie Review

The Loneliness of a Professional Schlepper

Reviewed by Casey Broadwater March 22, 2012

Like a more depressing take on the Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody collaboration Young Adult, Roadie wrestles with a theme that's become increasingly common in the past few recession-ridden years--the quasi-grownup who returns dejectedly to his hometown with his proverbial tail between his legs. Here, the in-name-only adult is Jimmy Testagross--played by a scruffy Ron Eldard--a forty-something professional roadie who's been hauling gear for his longtime musical idols, Blue Oyster Cult, for twenty-odd years. It's the only job he's ever had. When the film opens, Jimmy's been fired by the band before a big tour and abandoned in "the middle of butt-munch Michigan," where he has a minor meltdown in front of a family restaurant, freaking out the patrons. He kicks the wall and flails his arms and drops a salvo of F-bombs; it's the tantrum of an overgrown adolescent, which is exactly what he is. He doesn't know how to do laundry, operating a coffee maker is an insurmountable challenge, and he blames his lack of even rudimentary adulthood skills on "the road, man." As one character puts it, he's been "developmentally stunted by rock 'n' roll."

But now it's time to face reality. Out of a job, Jimmy heads back to his old neighborhood in Queens and drops in on his elderly mother (Lois Smith), whom he hasn't seen in years. She's elated, of course, but it doesn't take her long to get into concerned-parent nagging mode, dropping hints that she always thought he would've made a fine teacher, and that maybe he should get his life together. To save face and try to make his mom proud of him, Jimmy hides the fact that he's just been fired. More so, he trumps up his own importance, claiming he's now the manager of the band, that he's written a few songs that will appear on their forthcoming album, and that he's leaving with "the Cult" next week for a month-long tour of South America.

He keeps up the lie when he drops into the local watering hole and runs into his high school nemesis, Randy Stevens (Bobby Cannavale), a brash businessman and cokehead who--and here's where it gets interesting--is married to Jimmy's old flame, Nikki (Jill Hennessy). And it's pretty clear there are still some smoldering coals of passion in Jimmy's heart for her, making the afternoon awkward as they reconnect, reminiscing about the good old days. (Mom is aghast that Jimmy's been home for a few hours and he's already got a girl in his bedroom.) The two have a lot in common; she's a never-made-it singer/songwriter who plays for crowds of 30 or 40 at the same rinky-dink bar every weekend, and he's a failed roadie. The dream has died.

And that's basically what Roadie is all about--the soul-crushing middle-age awareness that your life has flashed by and that all those great things you always thought you'd do just aren't ever going to get done. On the one hand, Jimmy has spent the last couple decades trotting around the globe with his favorite band. On the other, he's suddenly blindsided by the fact that he's "just a schlepper, carrying around what isn't his." Yes, this is inherently depressing, but the film handles it with the grace of somber honesty. Although this is a hard subject--and, let's just say it, a movie premise that just isn't very commercially promising--director Michael Cuesta (L.I.E.) makes the most of it, with a clear-eyed vision of disappointment and regret that's bracing. Life ain't easy, and Cuesta--who wrote the script with his brother, Gerald--doesn't softball us any easy answers. He just observes. The film takes place entirely over 24 hours and only a handful of locations, making it a sort of chamber drama pressure cooker. The tension is at its highest when Jimmy, Nikki, and Randy get a room together at a trashy motel to party before Nikki's show. Let's just say that the combination of cocaine, Wild Turkey, Grey Goose, and sexual tension makes for an amped-up, pent-up evening. And eventually, of course, it explodes. It's always simultaneously sad and terrifying to see adults revert to the teenaged selves.

This isn't a film where much happens. It's more of a low-key character study, not just of Jimmy, but of all its characters. With the help of all- around solid acting, each feels dimensional, fleshed-out, authentic. Lois Smith, who's been in over a hundred films and TV series--you might recognize her as Grandma Stackhouse, from True Blood--is perfectly cast as an old woman who's losing her memory but none of her sass. Win Win's Bobby Cannavale makes for a truly lamentable a-hole, someone you hate and pity in equal measure, and Crossing Jordan's Jill Hennessy--with heavy eyeliner and black boots--has a kind of vulnerable toughness that sells the part. And then there's Ron Eldard--seen last in Super 8--who's simply 100% in this role. The ridiculous sideburns and dated hair. The slouchy posture. The sagging paunch and tired eyes. The thermal underwear under the band t-shirt. He's the very picture of a career roadie. But it's not just his appearance. He practically gives off desperation--you can read his character's mental state in every awkward glance and fumbling movement. What does the rest of Jimmy's life hold? The Roadie doesn't tell us--and I'm glad for it--but the film does end on a quietly redemptive note.

Roadie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I couldn't dig up any definitive info on whether The Roadie was shot digitally or on film, but the Blu-ray's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer looks to me like it was sourced from a 35mm print--it's got a layer of grain that's too warm and filmic-looking to be digital source noise. That said, there's something digital-ish about this picture. It's not quite apparent from a distance--unless you've got a massive screen--but up close the image seems to suffer from a bit too much compression. Otherwise, however, this is a decently satisfying high definition presentation. Easy on the eyes, if never exactly stunning. Although there are quite a few shots that looks noticeably soft, most of the film has a good sense of clarity, with resolved textures in closeups. Color is fairly strong too, with consistent skin tones, deep-enough blacks, and a light grading that gives a warm cast to most of the highlights. A serviceable, watchable image.

Roadie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Despite Jimmy's rock 'n' roll background, you're right not to expect an aggressive, room-rattling mix from this low-key mid-life-crisis drama. Sure, there are a few rock/metal tunes thrown into the mix, and they sound great--dynamic and expressive as the original recordings--but they almost never get to blast at full volume. This is a relatively quiet DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, one that focuses more on clearly understood dialogue than fat- bottomed guitar riffs. The rear channels don't get a whole lot of action, but they are used to add some depth to the music, along with putting out some light ambience from time to time. Like the picture quality, the audio gets the job done, and that's about all there is to say here. For those that need or want them, the disc comes with optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles.

Roadie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Photo Gallery (1080p): A user-directed gallery with 56 images.
• HDNet: A Look at Roadie (1080p, 4:33): HDNet's Robert Wilonski gives an overview of the film and calls it "one of the most honest, most truest, and most thoughtful films I've seen in a very long time."
• Also from Magnolia Home Entertainment (1080p, 9:16)

Roadie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If there's one thing sadder than an aging rockstar it's an aging roadie, especially one who's suddenly forced to confront his failures and regrets. And that's The Roadie in a nutshell. If it sounds depressing, it is, but it's also a powerfully honest look at middle-age and its accompanying crises. I doubt this is the kind of film you'd want to watch more than once, so I'm not going to recommend a purchase on this one, but if you enjoy quiet character studies, The Roadie is probably worth a rental.