Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		2.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.0

Roommates Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 30, 2018

There’s no denying that Peter Yates is a gifted filmmaker with numerous directorial achievements on his resume. He’s the mastermind of “Bullitt” and “Breaking Away” (put “Krull” in there too if you’re feeling generous), but he’s had more than his share of off years, periodically unable to will himself out of a bad creative situation. 1995’s “Roommates” is mounted with the best intentions, with screenwriters Max Apple and Stephen Metcalfe trying to fashion a valentine for curmudgeonly old men and the pearls of wisdom they leave behind, forcing Yates to master a tone for the picture that’s somewhere between lovable and combative, with a healthy dose of syrup added for taste. Sadly, “Roommates” doesn’t really strive for a sophisticated understanding of multi-generational relationships, instead going a soap opera route that’s wholly manipulative. Yates really wants viewers to bawl like baby during the feature, but there has to be a little more than superficial conflicts and cutesy antics with a senior citizen to melt the heart.

Orphaned as a boy, Michael (D.B. Sweeney) is sent to live with Rocky (Peter Falk), his grandfather. Raising the child in a Polish neighborhood while working as a baker, Rocky keeps his eye on Michael to the best of his ability, offering advice and leadership when the need arises. While they have some difficulties throughout the years, Michael eventually becomes an adult, working his way through medical school with hopes to save lives as a doctor. When Rocky’s apartment is torn down for a new development, the old man goes to live with his grandson, reawakening their old dynamic, delighting and exasperating Michael, who’s trying to make his way in the world. As Rocky looks for a new life and job, Michael finds love with Beth (Julianne Moore), a social worker who tries to teach her boyfriend about the ways of empathy, also struggling to connect with Rocky, who’s wary of anyone looking to stand between him and the kid he raised.

“Roommates” is a passage of time movie, watching Michael as he grows from the scared boy into a confident young man with help from Rocky. To capture the passing years, several actors portray Michael before Sweeney takes over, but Falk is personally responsible for Rocky’s elderly development, brought to life through Greg Cannom’s Academy Award-nominated make-up, which buries Falk under layers of rubber, trying to slowly alter his appearance instead of beginning with the real actor and gradually pasting over his natural features. The result is visually unsettling, but Falk’s personality generally carries the performance, showcasing Rocky as a man who doesn’t suffer fools gladly and remains committed to raising Michael. It’s a prime role for Falk, who attempts to blend the character’s irritability and responsibility, coming through with a creaky, emotive performance that adds to some weight to the film, even when some of his dialogue is barely intelligible due to growly thespian commitment. One does receive a feel for passing years as Michael grows up, which is perhaps the highest compliment paid to Yates, who sets the scene carefully, only to give up when the story gets rolling.

Once Michael becomes an adult and starts to make his way through the medical industry as a burgeoning doctor, “Roommates” suddenly doesn’t have anything to do. It goes the reversal route, making Michael the caretaker for Rocky, but there’s only so far that idea can go, and the screenplay eventually gives up on it, creating two subplots where Rocky tries to locate employment with help from a local law professor, while Michael burns his way through a hospital education, getting a necessary kick in the pants from Beth, who tries to teach her love interest how to care for the patients he’s treating, remaining sensitive to their needs and fears. The writing cooks up “playful” bigotry for the older soul (who labels Michael’s Chinese roommates as “The Communists”) to keep him busy, but “Roommates” lose urgency during its midsection, missing motivation for Rocky, who could use something more interesting to do while Michael makes time with Beth, encouraging a relationship with the bright woman as he deals with his own future in medicine. The movie periodically stops cold once it moves past the first act, which is a great disappointment, as Yates and the writers do relatively well in the early going, which enjoys a chance to explore Polish culture in Pennsylvania, baptizing Michael in old world sensibilities and work ethic. Once he grows up and moves out, the endeavor noticeably dips in energy.

Roommates Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Roommates" is sourced from an older master of the film, showcasing the same visual fatigue common with Disney catalog titles. Colors are generally muted as the story visits old neighborhoods and apartment interiors, with only the strongest hues, usually from costuming, making any sort of appropriate impact, and that's a rare event. Skintones are only somewhere in the neighborhood of natural, also pushing red on occasion. Detail isn't there in full, with mild filtering and general age diluting facial particulars. Locations lean toward flatness, set decoration isn't always easy to examine. Delineation hits a few points of solidification. Source doesn't encounter any significant damage, but speckling is detected throughout.

Roommates Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't offer much heft with the simple design of "Roommates," but it does have basic clarity, which is what a listener will need to make it through some of Falk's mumbled line readings (subtitles aren't provided). Dialogue exchanges retain their emotional power and mild speed of banter. Scoring is supportive, with comfortable orchestral movements that deliver satisfying instrumentation. Atmospherics are acceptable but never remarkable, providing a feel for locations and bustling hospital interiors.

Roommates Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features actor D.B. Sweeney.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:15, SD) is included.

Roommates Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Roommates" continues on the path of trauma, with Michael experiencing the worst life has to offer, facing growing depression at a critical time of responsibility in his life. However, Yates doesn't steel himself for second half turns of fate, preferring to go limp with highly manipulative plotting and staging that doesn't do the picture any good. Rocky is transformed into a Yoda-like figure for his grandson, and the writing starts to depend on clichés to reach out and connect with the viewer, doing whatever it can to make anyone who goes near the effort a blubbering mess by the end credits. Yates doesn't need to do this to make an emotional impression with "Roommates," but he seems fearful to try anything else. The melodrama clogs the production's gears, eventually forcing it to limp to a close, which is a real shame. In other hands, employment of Falk and a vibrant Moore would likely result in an enlightening feature about the different relationships that help to define our lives, including the importance of a guardian to be there when the going gets rough, imparting critical lessons on self-reliance. Yates and the screenwriters go nearly the opposite route, stumbling their way through banal scenes that highlight the clashing of stubbornness, leading to a conclusion that's perhaps meant to celebrate a life lived in service of the greater good, but instead offers only a surface appreciation of parental protection.