The Parts You Lose Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

The Parts You Lose Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 18, 2020

There are no major displays of dramatic firepower in “The Parts You Lose,” and the plot is simple, dealing with issues facing the main characters, without going beyond the core dynamic to pad the runtime. Writer Darren Lemke doesn’t go for flash with his screenplay, trying to land more of a literary atmosphere to the feature, which often resembles an adaptation of a young adult novel. “The Parts You Lose” may not have a fireworks display, but there’s consistency to the picture, providing a full sense of character and heart. The modest nature of the production isn’t a problem, as director Christopher Cantwell creates an inviting sense of tension and interaction, always preserving the human side of the story to best retain viewer attention.

Living in North Dakota, Gail (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is a mother to young Amber (Charlee Park) and Wesley (Danny Murphy), who lives with a hearing impairment. Gail can’t make ends meet, but she provides a loving upbringing for her kids, compensating for the lack of affection coming from her husband, Ronnie (Scott McNairy), who’s often away chasing work. Wesley is a troubled child, dealing with bullying issues at school and Ronnie’s habitual darkness at home, absorbing the pain just to make it through another day. Into his life comes Man (Aaron Paul), a bank robber who’s been shot during a job, holing up inside a nearby barn, leaving Wesley to discover his bleeding body. At first hesitant to engage with the dying crook, Wesley learns to trust Man, helping him to regain his strength and avoid outside detection. In return, Man offers the boy fatherly attention he’s been craving, proving tips on self-defense and confessional time, bonding the pair as local law enforcement starts to sniff around for leads concerning Man’s whereabouts.

Life isn’t easy for Wesley, and the first act of “The Parts You Lose” explores the difficulties he faces. Bullying is a primary problem, facing a disgusting ritual from a classmate who seeks to humiliate the boy in front of his peers, with Wesley too afraid to defend himself. Problems also emerge at home, with Ronnie offering coldness to his first born, sick and tired of watching him be coddled by his mother, unable to recognize or receive love due to a lengthy list of self-esteem and self-control issues. And yet, Wesley carries on, with the plot of “The Parts You Lose” kicking into gear once he finds Man, soon setting up a home with the criminal in a remote barn, helping the bleeding man with his open wounds and his hunger pains. It’s kindness that revives Man, who realizes that Wesley isn’t interested in giving him up to the cops, looking for companionship instead.

“The Parts Your Lose” examines the growing sense of trust between Wesley and Man, who isn’t a kind soul, offering a kind of tough love for his pint- sized protector, taking a fatherly position without even realizing it. Highlights in the film remain with this unexpected dynamic, as Man recognizes something is wrong with Wesley, teaching him a little self-defense to help combat the bullying issue, addressing something that’s been bothering the student, who feared no one could help. The pair also play games of checkers, with Man refusing to lose to a physically disabled opponent, teaching Wesley a thing or two about resiliency. One-sided conversations occur as well, as Man begins to share parts of his private life, even learning sign language to help converse with the child. While it could slip into Disney mode, “The Parts You Lose” doesn’t go soft, treating the situation with the severity it deserves, including the addition of pressure from a detective who suspects Man is in the area, and Ronnie’s issues transform into abuse -- a desperate, awful act that triggers retaliatory thoughts from Man.

The Parts You Lose Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't supply a warm viewing experience, with original cinematography respecting the wintry, freezing locations, pulling color out of most of the feature. Some brighter hues survive, exploring elementary school decoration and flickering fires, but earth tones come through, as do more seasonal hues, as costuming favors darker blues and browns. Snowy whites are evocative. Skintones are natural. Detail finds most textures, including fibrous costuming and woodsy farmhouse interiors. "The Parts You Lose" is a darker feature, often using limited lighting, but delineation has some struggles, easing into solidification on a few occasions. Compression issues are troublesome at times, with banding periodically found.

The Parts You Lose Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix carries with expected idiosyncrasy, as the picture involves the actions of a hearing impaired child. The communication of the boy's aural experience is handled with care, offering distinct immersion into muffled sounds and gradual clarity. Dialogue exchanges are sharp and true, securing emotional escalation with the family dynamic and Paul's more growly line-readings, which keep their clarity. Scoring retains appealing instrumentation and position, carefully nurturing sensitive scenes and delivering on grander movements of suspense. Atmospherics are capable with decent surround activity, managing howling winds and snowy travel, and room tones are exact. Low-end is handles especially well during scenes of helicopter surveillance, adding some rumble.

The Parts You Lose Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:44, HD) has been included.

The Parts You Lose Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lemke is careful not to turn Ronnie into a complete monster, offering a mournful moment of clarity when the defeated man witnesses a co-worker enjoying a bright, responsive relationship with his son. Touches like this add texture to "The Parts You Lose," which eventually reaches some earned emotion and lands an appropriate ending. Cantwell keeps it all within reason, aided by strong cinematography from Evans Brown and considered editing from Heather Persons, doing a great job maintaining the stakes of the situation and the developing trust between the opposites, earning all the feelings the picture triggers along the way.