Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

The Pick-Up Artist Blu-ray Movie Review

Pick this one up.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 26, 2013

Many men choke in front of girls. Despite biology and millennia of successful "boy meets girl" tales to build on, some guys get sweaty palms and cold feet, others have been hurt by rejection and refuse to try again, while others still simply lack the nerve to approach potential Ms. Right, fearful of "no" or bruising a fragile ego. For the lucky (or unlucky, depending on perspective) few, however, finding Ms. Right is only a matter of playing the field, of winning by attrition, by approaching every target with a charisma and confidence and expecting results. If he gets her digits, great, if not, it's on to the next conquest. It's romance by fortune, muscle memory of moves, lines delivered by rote, and execution rehearsed countless times before the mirror. The Pick-Up Artist tells the story of one such individual who possesses a confident way with women, who is unafraid of take a chance and who has a filled-in sheet of phone numbers to prove it. But what happens when he meets his match, and his match just so happens to be the one that could really fulfill him, deep down, past all the superficialities and make him ditch his finely-tuned routine in favor of happily ever after?

Who's Iron Man?

Jack Jericho (Robert Downey) has it all: a satisfying job, good looks, and unbeatable charisma. But he's no saint. He's the type fathers have in mind when they warn their daughters about smooth-talking, slick, and too-good-to-be-true kinds of guys. His approach often works and lands him a girl's digits, a date, and maybe more with most any girl he approaches. And if it doesn't work, he simply moves onto the next beauty he finds. He meets his match when he approaches Randy Jensen (Molly Ringwald), a museum tour guide who succumbs to his wiles, agrees to a passionate fling, and dismisses him outright thereafter. Jack is shocked that things went so well to start and fell apart so quickly thereafter. He's intrigued by the unexpected turn of events and pursues Randy further, to the point of stalking. The closer he gets to her, the more he learns about who she really is and the problems that define her life. Jack must decide to follow his heart and do what he can to prove what is slowly becoming his love for Randy or revert to his old ways, brush her off, and look for his next fling.

The Pick-Up Artist is both innocently fun and bubbly sweet, a movie not about slick moves and easy sexual conquests but instead one man's transformation from carefree and happy-go-lucky to all-in with his heart and soul for a girl who first appeared in his life as just another trophy but who becomes more to him than that. It's a interesting study of the difference between lust and love, of recognizing something good in a sea of meaningless trysts that might satisfy the body but that leave the soul empty. For Jack, Randy's cold exterior and rejections only make him more hungry to prove to himself that his charms can work on even the most difficult of women, but he comes to see that spending more time with her, that getting to know her, that caring about her as a person rather than an object is far more intimately satisfying than a five-minute fling.

The film has its touching moments, too, and finds a natural balance between silly comedy, serious drama, and fine character moments. Director James Toback (Tyson) keeps the film fresh and moving at a good pace. He does well to balance the subtle and the overt humor with the inward and outward character traits and developments. His cast is quite good. Downey brings a charming charisma to the part, making a guy who probably shouldn't be so likable or even relatable into someone the audience can get behind, care for, and understand. Molly Ringwald is equally strong as a cold, detached foil for Downey's Jack, opening up and loosening up only as he opens his heart, not just his pants. The film features a strong supporting cast, too, with Harvey Keitel, Dennis Hopper, and Danny Aiello headlining the secondary parts.

The Pick-Up Artist Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Pick-Up Artist arrives on Blu-ray with a fair high definition transfer. Though it's not significantly better than a standard definition DVD, the uptick in resolution, stability, and clarity help the image find its footing. It does take on a slightly smoothed over appearance, not to the point that the picture looks waxy but certainly to the detriment of its natural filmic state. Detail, then, is never superb but instead merely adequate. Don't expect complex, crisp, or lifelike facial, clothing, or support textures. Colors, too, fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. They're neither naturally brilliant nor excessively dull, taking on a rather pasty, uninspired appearance. Black levels are fair but hardly deep and accurate. Minor print wear springs up throughout the film.

The Pick-Up Artist Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Pick-Up Artist arrives on Blu-ray with a midlevel Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Nothing about the track is at all great, though nothing is particularly awful, either. At its best, it delivers suitably clear dialogue and music, and at its worst the elements come through with a mushy, underpowered, and unfocused presentation. Dialogue sometimes blends into sloppy backgrounds but generally plays evenly and clearly enough from the center. The track exhibits cursory musical and environmental effects spacing, but never to the point that the audience feels immersed in the world. Music lacks energy and nuance, though it does spread nicely enough and enjoys a fair bit of surround support. Note that no subtitle options are included.

The Pick-Up Artist Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Pick-Up Artist contains no extras, and no menu is included. The film begins playback immediately after disc insertion.

The Pick-Up Artist Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Pick-Up Artist may not find itself at the pinnacle of the Romantic Comedy genre, but chances are audiences who favor that style will find a good bit to love in the film. It's tender and sweet despite a rather lewd premise. There's almost no excess, leaving the story to flow quickly but naturally. It's strongly acted and a pleasure from start to finish. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of a 20th Century Fox catalogue title features passable video and audio. No extras are included. Worth a purchases at a bargain price.