State of Grace 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

State of Grace 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 24, 2026

Phil Joanou's "State of Grace" (1990) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with Phil Joanou; new program with producer Ned Dowd; new program with first assistant camera Jeff Cronenweth; new program with film music historian and author Daniel Schweiger; deleted footage; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Regon-Free.

A close-up of Sean Penn’s face right before John Turturro hands him the bag with the guns reveals pretty much everything one needs to know about his character, Terry Noonan. His eyes are tired, and it is easy to tell that he has been through a lot. When he looks at the city, it is even easier to tell that he has a history with the people who live there. State of Grace is about Terry and his relationship with these people.

They are all Irish and have not seen Terry in a long time. Jackie (Gary Oldman), Terry’s best friend, is so excited to see him again that he immediately leaves the guys he has been drinking with and takes him up to their old spot on the roof. It is a glorious spot, and Terry can instantly tell that the neighborhood has changed, but so has Jackie. After he gives Terry a cold beer, Jackie pulls out a pair of severed hands from his freezer. Then, while smiling, he casually reveals that his brother, Frankie (Ed Harris), is running the show now because all of the old bosses had terrible accidents.

Later, Terry meets Kathleen (Robin Wright), Jackie’s sister. In a desperate attempt to forget a disappointing past and regain he independence, Kathleen has started working in an upscale hotel somewhere in the city. However, her plan hasn’t worked out as intended. While talking to Terry, her eyes quickly reveal that she never stopped caring about him.

Frankie also cares about Terry, but in a different way. After they meet in his quiet suburban home in New Jersey, Frankie orders his right-hand man, Pat (R.D. Call), to keep an eye on him.

When Jackie’s best friend, Stevie (John C. Reilly), is killed, Frankie is asked by a big Italian gangster (Joe Viterelli) to start showing more respect if he wishes to do business with him. Frankie agrees, but shortly after, Jackie goes berserk, kills a few Italians, and all hell breaks loose.

The biggest weakness of Phil Joanou’s State of Grace is its distributor's unwise decision to release it theatrically around the same time Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas opened up. They are both very fine films, but GoodFellas had much bigger support from Warner Bros. and received far greater exposure that effectively overshadowed State of Grace.

A couple of years ago, in an exclusive interview, Joanou revealed that a longer, substantially more violent version of State of Grace was initially screened for top brass at Orion. State of Grace doesn’t need more violence, but it would have been great if this longer version were still around. What makes State of Grace special is the tremendous energy that is channeled through it, and Joanou's comments in the interview suggest that the cut material had a lot more of it.

A direct comparison with GoodFellas quickly creates the impression that State of Grace could have been polished better. However, the roughness -- both in terms of tone and visual appearance -- is unquestionably what keeps State of Grace looking fresh and modern. In fact, it could easily pass for an early James Gray project because it hits hard and fast without revealing concern for the audience's approval. This is how modern gangster films should be made. (For reference, see Gray's Little Odessa and The Yards).

U2 had promised to score State of Grace but could not finish Achtung Baby on time, and Joanou was forced to improvise. The great maestro Ennio Morricone agreed to compose the score for State of Grace after Joanou screened it for him in his private theater in Rome. The entire score is sensational, but the melancholic opening theme is among the very best Morricone did for a contemporary film.

State of Grace 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Imprint Films' release of State of Grace is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray and the Blu-ray are both Region-Free.

Please note that all screencaptures included with this article are taken from the Blu-ray. We have not provided any screencaptures from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release presents an exclusive new 4K restoration of State of Grace, sourced from the original 35mm camera negative. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with Dolby Vision. Later, I spent time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

I have a couple of different Blu-ray and DVD releases of State of Grace. The Blu-ray releases are this American release, produced by Sandpiper Pictures in 2022, and this British release, produced by Second Sight in 2015. Both releases are sourced from the same old but good master, supplied by MGM.

The new 4K restoration gives State of Grace a predictably fresher and healthier appearance. On my system, this appearance was more attractive than the previous appearance the two Blu-ray releases produced. Delineation, clarity, and depth are either very good or excellent. However, there are many stylized visuals in which light and shadow are managed in very specific ways to achieve a distinct look. I think that this look is similar to the one that James Gray's The Yards boasts, but it is not identical. I mention this because some darker areas of State of Grace can have an unusual dynamic range, which is associated with this distinct look. Color reproduction and balance are good. Some ranges of supporting nuances are expanded and rebalanced. As a result, State of Grace has a slightly cooler but better-balanced overall appearance, which I think is more accurate. (On the previous 1080p presentation, some supporting nuances were a tad too warm). There is only one short sequence at the very end -- right before the shootout in the Irish bar -- where the skies become a tad too green(ish) that could have been managed better. I prefer how State of Grace looks in native 4K. The 1080p presentation of the 4K restoration reveals some inconsistencies that could have been avoided. For example, while performing my comparisons, I noticed that a few visuals looked a tad too smooth, as if they were filtered. However, I suspect that some high-frequency information was lost because the encoding is not optimized. The stylization mentioned earlier hides the inconsistency exceptionally well. In native 4K, with Dolby Vision enabled, this inconsistency is impossible to detect. I thought that the Dolby Vision grade handled darker footage very well. Image stability is excellent. I noticed a few tiny nicks. However, there are no large and distracting cuts, debris, warped or torn frames to report.

State of Grace 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It is an excellent lossless track, and I think it is a replica of the same 5.1 track that was included on my American Blu-ray release of State of Grace, produced by Sandpiper Pictures. The 2.0 track is included as well, so folks can experiment with it, too. It is another excellent track that was included on the British Blu-ray release of State of Grace, produced by Second Sight. I did not encounter any anomalies to report in our review.

State of Grace 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - in this archival audio commentary, Phil Joanou goes down memory lane and recalls how various parts of State of Grace were shot and reshot (apparently, plenty of footage was redone after production had wrapped up), why certain locations were selected, and how the final and curerent cast was assembled. Later in the commentary, there are also some very interesting comments about Ennio Morricone and the soundtrack he created, as well as the publicity campaign and critical reception of State of Grace. The commentary is moderated by critic Nick Redman.

• Isolated Score - presented as Dolby Digital 2.0.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - in this archival audio commentary, Phil Joanou goes down memory lane and recalls how various parts of State of Grace were shot and reshot (apparently, plenty of footage was redone after production had wrapped up), why certain locations were selected, and how the final and curerent cast was assembled. Later in the commentary, there are also some very interesting comments about Ennio Morricone and the soundtrack he created, as well as the publicity campaign and critical reception of State of Grace. The commentary is moderated by critic Nick Redman.

• Isolated Score - presented as Dolby Digital 2.0.

• Deleted Footage - presented here is a deleted sequence featuring actor Michael Gambon and several short cut scenes, with a newly recorded video introduction by Phil Joanou. All of the footage is remastered. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• A Matter of Timing - in this exclusive new program, Phil Joanou explains how he came to understand that the Irish mob was unlike the Italian mafia -- the former were a lot more brutal -- and the original concept for State of Grace materialized. Later, Joanou comments on Dennis McIntyre's screenplay and the many changes made to get the current version of State of Grace, as well as his interactions with Jordan Cronenweth. Apparently, Joanou told Cronenweth that he wanted State of Grace to look "ugly but beautiful", and it is how the latter shot it. Joanou also describes a hilarious meeting with Ennio Morricone in Rome, where a rough version of State of Grace was presented to the maestro with an apparently awful temp score. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• Family and Blood - in this exclusive new program, first assistant camera Jeff Cronenweth discusses his background and explains how he entered the film industry. Cronenweth also comments on his interactions and work with his father, cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, and Phil Joanou during the production of State of Grace in New York. In English, not subtitled. (19 min).

• Mob Morality in the Music of Ennio Morricone - in this exclusive new program, film music historian and author Daniel Schweiger explains how Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns transformed Ennio Morricone into an international phenomenon and comments on the great scores he composed for various fiolent films, including State of Grace. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• The Irish Gang - in this exclusive new program, producer Ned Dowd recalls how an article about the Irish gang The Westies, published by The New York Times, inspired him to greenlight State of Grave. Dowd also explains how Phil Joanou was hired to direct and the current cast of State of Grace was assembled, and discusses the production process in New York. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Photo Gallery - presented here is a collection of behind-the-scenes stills. Silent. (5 min).

• Theatrical Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage theatrical trailer for State of Grace. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Home Trailer - presented here is a vintage home video trailer for State of Grace. Sourced from a VHS. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Book - an exclusive 60-page hardback booklet featuring an essay by writer Rachel Walther, and original production notes and publicity photographs.

State of Grace 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The fate of Phil Joanou's State of Grace is very similar to that of Gary Fleder's Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead. It came out at the wrong time and had to compete with another similarly themed film that enjoyed much bigger studio support. I saw State of Grace when it came out in the early 1990s and thought that it was a very good film with a sensational soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. I have not changed my mind. In fact, I think that in many ways State of Grace looks even stronger and more stylish now.

This combo pack release presents a very nice, exclusive new 4K restoration of State Grace. It has a fantastic selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features, too. Two of these features are particularly interesting. The first gathers the notorious cut footage with the late Michael Gambon that caused a lot of problems for Joanou, and the second is a great trip down memory lane with Joanou. I am really happy to have the combo pack in my library. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.