7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A Sudanese refugee is taken in by a straight-talking American woman in their new home in the United States.
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Corey Stoll, Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany, Emmanuel JalDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Uprooted, displaced and orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005), more than 20,000 boys fled their homes in Sudan. They were the lucky ones. Millions of their people were slaughtered. Millions more were scattered across Africa. Over the next ten years, these 20,000 children, dubbed "The Lost Boys of Sudan" by relief workers, encountered countless hardships as they traveled thousands of miles, from Ethiopia (where they were caught in the middle of yet another war) to Kenya and eventually, for some, the United States. In 2000, with the assistance of the UNHCR and the U.S. State Department, some 3,600 boys and girls were selected via lottery and relocated to several large American cities, among them San Diego, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta and Seattle. But many of these children were no longer children. Because adoption and foster care weren't a viable option, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) worked tirelessly to secure the adult Lost Boys jobs, education and homes, all of which presented a variety of challenges.
The Good Lie makes a noble, almost entirely successful attempt to tell one of the many stories of these Lost Boys, going so far as to cast real-life refugees Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany, Emmanuel Jal and Kuoth Wiel. Director Philippe Falardeau and screenwriter Margaret Nagle even avoid the missteps of movies like The Blind Side, presenting the African refugees as the clear leads of the film (both during their childhoods and during their immigration to the U.S.) rather than thrusting Reese Witherspoon and Corey Stoll into a contrived, all too Caucasian spotlight. (Not that you'd ever, ever know it from The Good Lie's trailers.) Refreshing? Absolutely. But sadly, quite surprising as well. Hollywood doesn't generally slap Reese Witherspoon on a movie poster then keep her off screen for long stretches of time. (Kudos to producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer for supporting the filmmakers on this point.) That doesn't mean Hollywood doesn't wriggle its way into the production -- sentimentality is out in force -- although in this case it isn't too irritating. The tear-jerking portions of the script are as heartwarming as the tough-to-stomach sections are heartbreaking, and in that balance is a drama worth praising, flaws and all.
The Good Lie features a pleasing but not entirely remarkable 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation true to its filmmakers' intentions and Ronald Plante's unassuming cinematography. Colors range from stark (in Africa) to muted (in America), but the contrast suits the Lost Boys' journey from one culture to the next nicely. Contrast remains relatively consistent, black levels are satisfying, and skintones are well-saturated, even if the third act is dominated by a warm, hearthside glow. Detail is notable too, with naturally defined edges (free of significant ringing and aliasing) and convincing fine textures. Macroblocking, banding and other issues are nowhere to be found either. Only crush is a frequent offender, but one that's thankfully kept to a bearable minimum.
Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is quite good, with a penchant for docudrama-style realism and authenticity. Dialogue is clear and intelligible at all times, believably grounded in the mix and perfectly balanced with the rest of the soundscape. LFE output and rear speaker activity is restrained but extremely effective, selling the illusion of two very different worlds and two very different continents. Dynamics are excellent, directionality is precise, and pans are smooth, without anything in the way of issues or mishaps. All told, The Good Lie's AV presentation is strong.
There isn't a lot here, just an all too typical production featurette, "The Good Lie Journey" (HD, 16 minutes), and a collection of decent but fairly redundant deleted scenes (HD, 15 minutes).
The Good Lie means well and, at least for once, that's not such a bad thing. Key word: such. Despite the refreshing boldness of placing the Lost Boys front and center, rather than shoving Witherspoon and Stoll into the spotlight, the film's flaws can still be frustrating. Not enough to make the story any less moving or the characters and their plight any less compelling, but it's not hard to imagine what The Good Lie might have been like if it weren't so concerned with tying up its tale in a neat, tidy Hollywood bow. No matter. The film is still worth watching, the Blu-ray's AV presentation is excellent, and only its slim supplemental package really disappoints.
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