5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 2.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Jack Jericho (Robert Downey Jr.) is a master in the art of meeting women, but the master has just met his match - the beautiful Randy Jensen (Molly Ringwald). In this hilarious, romantic comedy, a smug, compulsive womanizer who won't take no for an answer meets the woman of his dreams, only to find her impervious to his charm.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Molly Ringwald, Dennis Hopper, Danny Aiello, Mildred DunnockComedy | 100% |
Romance | 85% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
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?
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 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 contains no extras, and no menu is included. The film begins playback immediately after disc insertion.
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.
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