7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A once-celebrated kid detective, now 31, continues to solve the same trivial mysteries between hangovers and bouts of self-pity. Until a naive client brings him his first 'adult' case, to find out who brutally murdered her boyfriend.
Starring: Adam Brody, Sophie Nélisse, Sarah Sutherland, Jesse Noah Gruman, Wendy CrewsonDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The Kid Detective takes a compelling look at a man who, as a boy, was a star within his own community, praised for his keen detective skills but who, in adulthood, has not aged so gracefully, matured so deeply, and honed his skills so fully as his past may have suggested would be the case. The film explores his psyche through the prism of his most challenging case yet but for the audience the real reward is not in how he pieces together clues but rather how he goes about his business, how the mystery comes to define and, perhaps, redefine, who he is. From first-time Director Evan Morgan, The Kid Detective builds a complex portrait of a man whose own soul may be the most challenging case he'll ever have to crack.
Sony's Blu-ray release of The Kid Detective holds up to scrutiny. While there are a few minor issues with the image they don't burden the picture or hold it back from a general level of high definition excellence. The primary issue is source noise which is evident right out of the gate and in a brightly lit daytime exterior at that. Such dense noise is never a constant but it's fairly jarring here. Also, the image suffers from some sporadic, albeit light, examples of compression artifacts, such as seen along a solidly colored background at the 19:36 mark. Otherwise, the digitally sourced picture looks excellent. It demonstrates a high yield for clarity and detailing, showcasing every element -- facial pores and scruff, hair, clothes, and environmental details along Abe's office or throughout town -- with faultless 1080p definition and intricacy. Color output is very good, too. This is a balanced palette with contrast dialed into a more or less natural setting. There's no warm push or desaturation at play. Colors are bold as applicable, which is frequent as much of the film takes place in bright, sunny exteriors or well-lit interiors. Clothing is the natural standout while even eyes, makeup, natural greenery, and the like hold up to scrutiny. Skin tones are authentic and black levels are refined. This is a very good all-around image from Sony.
The Kid Detective features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is rather basic yet as presented on Blu-ray in good working order. The picture is not overly concerned with complex sound design cues, favoring a generally straightforward listen that is primarily engaged along the front. Music spreads pleasantly and widely along that portion, yielding perfectly good clarity and seamless flow. Additionally, world ambience is nicely integrated, here with a little more back channel pronouncement but certainly never to an overbearing or stage dominating excess. Everything about the track is very well balanced. The track integrates a few scattered effects of more opportunistic depth and engagement, and these are presented with fine stage positioning and all of the necessary essentials for depth as well. Dialogue primarily drives the film. It is center positioned, well prioritized, and lifelike in detail.
This Blu-ray release of The Kid Detective contains no film-specific supplemental content. A suite of trailers for other Sony properties may be accessed from the main menu screen, along with options to play the film and select amongst the available subtitle options. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.
The Kid Detective paints a vivid and compelling portrait of a wounded life in search of purpose following an early peak and under the weight of a steady decline thereafter. The film is satisfyingly layered, offering explorations of a superficial mystery but, much more rewardingly, the study of a man coming to terms with himself and his place in the world. If only more films were so capably complex yet simultaneously accessible. Sony's Blu-ray is disappointingly featureless but the video and audio presentations are just fine. Highly recommended.
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