5.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.1 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
After years of directionless dating, Zoe has finally decided that the wait for the perfect man has been too long. Determined to become a mother before it is too late, she decides to go it alone and signs up to conceive a baby through artificial insemination. But when she meets Stan on the same day as successfully conceiving twins, a comedy of errors ensues as Zoe tries to keep her new relationship alive while struggling with the early stages of pregnancy.
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Loughlin, Michaela Watkins, Eric Christian Olsen, Anthony AndersonComedy | 100% |
Romance | 87% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
movieIQ
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I wanted this for so long.
The Romantic Comedy, otherwise known as "the Chick Flick," is sort of like the Old Faithful of
cinematic staples. Yellowstone's famous geyser is pretty darn cool the first time around; the fun
facts,
the novelty, and its sheer force of will (or earnest following of the laws of nature) to keep on
chugging
along make it a thing of wonder and amazement. Still, it doesn't really do anything else, and it
never changes. Predictable, irrelevant to most after the first or second visit, but with an
undeniable staying power that always lures in droves of tourists (and the occasional person
that
shows up with the T-Shirt that says 'I'm as reliable as Old Reliable' with the dates of
their to-the-day annual visit to Wyoming plopped on the back) even though it promises to be
nothing more or nothing less than what it's always been. Take The Back-Up Plan; it's the
epitome of the Romantic Comedy, a picture that gleefully revels in every single cliché in the book, a
perfect example of a genre that never does anything new but still manages to attract a following
even if it never offers anything but the same-old, same-old. Yup, J-Lo's latest spouts a
smorgasbord of reliably-predictable events that might just prove worthy enough for a visit, but by
film's end, well, it's still
just a hole that shoots out water with no variety, spontaneity, or lasting appeal. Been there, done
that, don't have the T-shirt.
For the last time, we're a Wendy's household!
The movie might be painfully average, but The Back-up Plan's 1080p transfer is anything but. The image sports incredible detailing from its first live-action frame forward; a few shots of J-Lo's toes reveal so much definition it's almost scary, and the transfer subsequently captures plenty of visual nuances throughout, whether the intricate stitching of sweaters, the texture of pavement and building exteriors, or even the slight ridges on the paper that covers the examination table in the doctor's office. Colors are nicely vibrant and true-to-life without exhibiting too much of that now genre-typical unnaturally warm appearance. The transfer remains sharp and clear; even distant shots of both the city and various countryside locales never feature soft edges or clumpy details. Flesh tones are pleasantly natural, while black levels appear spot-on throughout, with nighttime scenes appearing particularly handsome. The image appears free of any distracting print damage or unwarranted digital manipulation, and a very slight layer of grain rounds out yet another fantastic film-like Blu-ray presentation from Sony.
The Back-up Plan sports a quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's typical of both a newly-minted Romantic Comedy and a Sony new release. Music is the name of game with this movie; it's breezy and light, spacious and clean, a satisfying experience with a good spread across the front soundstage and a slight rear-channel support. Both instrumental music and pop tunes play with a refined, natural tone. Additionally, the track captures a good bit of atmosphere that creates a semi-realistic environment; both the sounds of the city -- rumbling subway trains, honking horns, and driving rainstorms -- and the natural ambience of the countryside setting are nicely reproduced throughout. Additionally, dialogue reproduction is strong and satisfying with center-focused delivery. The Back-Up Plan isn't any kind of sonic marvel, but its soundtrack suits the material well enough and Sony's lossless offering is up to the task of capturing its every nuance very well.
The Back-up Plan births a tiny collection of extras. Belly Laughs: Making 'The Back-Up Plan' (1080p, 11:36) is a generic look at the making of the film, featuring cast and crew patting each other on the back alongside behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the film. Also included is a collection of four deleted scenes (1080p, 5:12); BD-Live functionality; MovieIQ connectivity; and 1080p trailers for The Back-Up Plan, Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, The Runaways, Nine, Not the Messiah, The Young Victoria, Charlie's Angels, and To Save a Life.
Anyone who's not a hardcore fan of Romantic Comedies should probably skip on by The Back-up Plan. It's not an awful movie -- it's really not -- but it's just terribly average and without a single original frame in its body. The picture's technically proficient and the acting is decent enough, but there's no story here beyond a very base idea that serves only as a slightly different frame in which to hang the same old picture. As these sorts of genre films go, The Back-Up Plan isn't abysmally bad, but it's not 13 Going on 30, either. If one were really curious as to what the Romantic Comedy looks like at its most base level, The Back-Up Plan would serve a definite purpose, but otherwise, it's just another eruption from Old Faithful. The Back-Up Plan, no surprise, lacks a thorough supplemental package, but as expected of a Sony release, the disc features a powerhouse 1080p transfer and a fine lossless soundtrack. The Back-Up Plan might tickle the fancy of ardent genre fans, but even they would be best served with a rental.
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