That's What I Am Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

That's What I Am Blu-ray Movie Review

More wonder years.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 26, 2011

Who woulda thunk it? The WWE, that bastion of machismo and muscularity, has gone and made an actual tender hearted film that comes out swinging in support of tolerance, and it even manages to work in a subplot about how absurd it is to judge someone’s work performance based on their sexual preference. That’s What I Am died a quick death in its limited theatrical release, and rumors run rampant that its failure led to the quietly announced departure from WWE of the film’s writer-director Michael Pavone, but this new Blu-ray may give the film the audience it actually does deserve. While there’s no denying the film is patently derivative of any number of supposed remembrances of things past, notably The Wonder Years, That’s What I Am continually surprises by refusing to play to its stereotypes, and it consistently avoids expected clichés in both character and plot which help to keep the film compelling. Ed Harris plays everyone’s favorite teacher Mr. Simon, the kind of all knowing kindly tutor that is a staple of films which celebrate the noble profession of passing along the accrued knowledge of Mankind. The film is told from the point of view of one of Simon’s students, eighth grader Andy Nichol (Chase Ellison), a kid who isn’t one of the cool crowd, but who is a stratum or two above the dreaded geek level. Much like The Wonder Years, a series this film resembles in tone and content a bit too much for its own good, That’s What I Am features an adult Andy as narrator, now looking back on the not exactly halcyon days of his last year of middle school. We’re introduced to a motley crew of other students, including the too tall and way too homely Stanley (Alexander Waters), a boy who has been saddled with the unkind nickname of Big G, the G standing for Ginger, a derogatory description of his bright orange-red hair. Mr. Simon, being all knowing and all, assigns Andy and Big G to work together on the final big assignment of the year, and that of course sets Andy on a personal journey of understanding and compassion.

That’s What I Am is ostensibly set in 1965, though the film cheats a little both with its video content, especially in its opening credits sequence which delves back into the dark ages of the 1950’s for some hipster chic kinescopes of commercials and television broadcasts, and its source music cues, which fast forward a little into the later sixties on at least a couple of occasions. But the film does an admirable job of recreating a world where human relationships took place mostly face to face and not via some electronic intermediary. The film is also nicely, if disturbingly, accurate with regard to the social strata of middle school, replete with its unobtainable girls, muscle bound bullies and fear of cooties (though that particular plot point seems more redolent of elementary school, at least from my experience).

While the mandated friendship between Andy and Big G is the putative focus of the film, it’s actually the sidebar of an accusation of homosexuality against Mr. Simon where That’s What I Am attains its most distinctive element. After Simon disciplines a kid who has mercilessly thrashed the ugliest girl in the school, the kid takes revenge by telling his parents that Simon is a “homo,” a rumor that has been circulating the school anyway due to Simon’s intellectual proclivities and perhaps his natty attire. That sets up a well handled conflict between the school’s principal (Amy Madigan, Harris’ long time real life wife) and the boy’s homophobic father (WWE star Randy Orton in a nicely detailed performance). Suddenly Mr. Simon’s lessons about tolerance don’t seem to be only about Andy trying to figure out Big G and his odd refusal to fight back against his many tormentors. Indeed, Mr. Simon’s own career seems to be on the line.

That’s What I Am treads a very fine line between outright comedy and some more nuanced dramatic elements, and it manages to handle the segues fairly effortlessly. What the film does best is defy expectations. When it turns out Big G wants to sing at the year end talent show, cynical wags are probably expecting the film to end in an operatic triumph for the kid, but without spoiling anything, it can be stated generally that the film skews more toward an actual realistic outcome. And while the subplot of Mr. Simon’s “is he or isn’t he?” gayness kind of peters out (no pun intended) with an anticlimactic denouement, the whole subplot gives That’s What I Am a serious intent that many films of this general ilk rarely attain.

Performances here are uniformly excellent, from the seasoned vets like Harris and Madigan to newcomers like Orton. The kids are all generally excellent, though Ellison has the tendency to look like he’s passing an unwanted kidney stone quite a bit of the time. Many of the lesser known kids are quite admirable, including Mia Rose Frampton (daughter of rock god Peter) as golden girl Mary Clear, and especially Alexander Walters as Big G. Walters is a real find, a kid whose doleful eyes speak volumes and whose quiet intensity anchors this film, especially for anyone who endured the torment of bullying in school.

The film may ultimately be too reminiscent of many other films in this genre, but that doesn’t mean That’s What I Am doesn’t have its own quiet pleasures to offer. They say that nostalgia ain’t what it used to be, but even for those who were born long after the sixties faded into memory, the film offers a loving postcard from a bygone age and it delivers its worthwhile message with a minimum of proselytizing or (perhaps more laudably) clichés.

That's What I Am Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

That's What I Am arrives on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. This is a bright and breezy visual presentation which capitalizes on the sixties' penchant for bold primary colors and the occasional more subtle pastels. Production design and costume design are both exemplary and the Blu-ray delivers some great detail in both sets and attire. Fine detail is excellent, and colors are extremely well saturated and robust. There are no egregious compression artifacts of any kind to report on this title, and while the film doesn't have the kind of big budget opulence that might push its score to an A+, it's really a solid looking release that should please most discriminating videophiles.

That's What I Am Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

That's What I Am has a fairly unambitious sound design, but its lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix makes the most of what's there, including some great use of source cues and original music. A lot of the film is either narration or very small scale dialogue scenes between just a few characters, but some of the raucous middle school hall scenes and one outdoor scene after a kid thinks he has contracted a bad case of cooties offer some nice discrete channelization and good immersion. Fidelity here is excellent, and the balance between all sound elements is very well handled.

That's What I Am Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Bloopers (1080i; 5:08) isn't a traditional gag reel and includes little interview snippets as well as scenes being shot.
• On Set with WWE Superstar Randy Orton (1080i; 7:29). Orton makes a fairly impressive feature film debut here in a supporting role as a homophobic father. Lots of interview footage is intercut with on set shots.
• Tales from Their First Kiss (1080i; 3:33). Chase Ellison and Mia Rose Frampton discuss the kissing scene between Andy and Mary.
• Film Festival Premiere (1080i; 2:09) features footage from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
• Going "Inside Out" (1080i; 4:16) is a little featurette on another WWE film. Why it's included here is anyone's guess.
• Photo Gallery
• Big G: That's Who I Am (1080i; 5:02) focuses on Alexander Walters, who plays the hapless yet dignified Stanley in the film. Yes, those are prosthetic ears he wears in the film.
• The Styles and Sets of the Sixties (1080i; 9:25) concentrates on the film's excellent production and costume design which very capably recreate the mid-sixties.
• All You Need is Love: Then and Now (1080i; 5:23) talks about the cultural differences between the sixties and current times.

That's What I Am Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Yes, That's What I Am definitely plays like a very special episode of The Wonder Years. But the film is sweet, gentle and very kind hearted, and it makes some, well, "wonder"ful points along the way. With great understated performances, some at least decent humor, and a surprisingly serious undertone, this film really deserves a wider audience. Hopefully this Blu-ray, which looks and sounds great and offers some nice supplements, will help that happen. Recommended.