Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

The Public Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 22, 2019

The library is a place of knowledge, but in Director Emilio Estevez's (The Way) The Public, it is not necessarily a place of understanding. The film pits the homeless and humanity against harsh conditions and hours of operation, telling a story of a modern day sit-in where the least fortunate refuse to leave the library's safety and warmth and spend a night in bitter, deadly cold. The film finds a voice, purpose, and soul but never brings it all to completion. It says what it must as it can and as it should, but it is ultimately less a revelatory cinema experience and more a snapshot of a clash between perceived rights and perceived wrongs. It never addresses its issues or its characters in a broader scope, focusing more on a single night and less on the greater problem that led the characters on all sides to the not so much physically dangerous but rather emotionally taxing and soulfully challenging exercise. It's a quality film with some room for greater exploration of one humanitarian crisis that never quite seems to earn the headlines it deserves or the real push for change and reform basic humanity says is necessary to make the world a better place for everyone living in it.

The occupation.

The Cincinnati public library seems to attract just as many homeless people as it does patrons with more traditional desires for and demands on the facility. The homeless occupy the computers and the bathrooms, which they use as makeshift shower facilities and gathering points in addition to their intended usage. And the homeless are causing problems. One of them is suing the library for discrimination after being asked to leave due to body odor concerns. The man has been denied his first amendment rights, claims Hamilton County District Attorney Josh Davis (Christian Slater), who is campaigning for mayor. One night, during a horrific cold spell, the homeless who all but call the library home refuse to leave, led by a man named Jackson (Michael K. Williams). Local shelters are full and there’s no place for them to go to stay warm. Stuart Gordon (Estevez), one of the library staff at the center of the lawsuit and himself a reformed criminal and a once-homeless man, takes sides with the homeless population. He and fellow librarian Myra (Jena Malone) find themselves at odds with Davis, Cincinnati Detective Bill Ramstead (Alec Baldwin), and the city’s police force as a peaceful protest gains national attention, even if little is known about the true motives and intentions behind it.

“Love for people and love for books” are the qualifications for serving the community as a librarian according to an old black and white video that plays at film’s start, a humorously vintage piece contrasted with a modern day song that begins with the lyrics “burn the books.” But as the film demonstrates, perhaps that hokey old film was right after all. Books all but literally saved Stuart Goodson’s life, and his love of both people and books might just save other lives, not just serve a general public welfare. It’s critical that he himself is a man with firsthand understanding of the homeless population. He’s something of a rarity, a man who hit rock bottom but who climbed back up to find his footing. The duality of his existence helps him not to simply relate to the strife of the homeless but to answer a call to action, even if it’s a call that was never directed towards him. Estevez is terrific in both roles on either side of the camera, crafting a movie of purpose and heart -- even if it’s more a snapshot than a more thoroughly hard-hitting study of the homeless crisis -- while performing the film’s lead character with a soul he wears on his sleeve but only gradually reveals over time. Most all of the primary characters are fully and thoroughly explored, giving a face to every facet of the situation on both ides of the library’s doors.

One of the more interesting side stories comes from the reporter’s perspective, played by Gabrielle Union, who is more concerned with follows on her Twitter account, eyeballs on the screen, and the prospect of a national broadcast rather than the truth of what’s happening, the emotions that have created the tension on both sides, and the reality of the humanity behind the story. She sees it as an opportunity to shape and sell sensationalism while promoting herself, not one to allow the soulful protest to seep into her essence. In many ways she is the everyman (or everywoman) in the movie, her perspective defined by the situation's external properties rather than its internal workings. Likewise, the police and politicians fail to see the humanity for the perceived horrors, looking at the situation more form a black-and-white perspective, searching for a scapegoat and a solution rather than diving deeper into the crisis that is at the center of the situation.

The Public Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image is healthy and alive. It has a handsome film-like texture on display, with crisply defined details across the board, including both broad and intimate library shots where a single shelf of books or stacks stretching far and wide find impressive definition. Skin details are crisp and accurate, showcasing pores, fine lines, and hairs with format flawless accuracy. Additionally, clothing details are rich, highlighting the layers and material density of the heavy wintertime attire that is so prominent throughout the film's frigid Cincinnati setting. Colors are handled well. The film finds a variety of hues throughout, most obviously within the library, which is steadily well lit. Colors on the walls, book spines, and clothing (including the red lanyards staff wears) all enjoy well balanced contrast. Skin tones appear accurate and nighttime exteriors are defined by positive, inky blacks. There are no significant source or encode issues of note. This is a quality presentation from Universal.

The Public Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack folds in some healthy environmental details around the library. PA announcements, work on installing the polar bear, elevator doors opening and chiming, and other light details filter through with natural presence and detail. Crowd din outside the library, as well as police radio chatter and other natural ambient sounds heard during the stand-off, are all lightly enveloping, keeping music and dialogue the prominent focus. The musical presentation is unassuming but effective. Clarity is fine, width comes naturally, surround support is light, and the low end is adequately complimentary. Dialogue propels the film. It's clear and well prioritized as it flows from a natural front-center position.

The Public Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Public contains no supplemental content. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. A DVD copy is not. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

The Public Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Public defies genre: it's part human interest story, part thriller, part reflective mirror. It is not heavy handed but it sure of its position and moving in its narrative assembly. In perhaps the film's most critical scene, Stuart Goodson quotes The Grapes of Wrath, a treasured literary classic that the movie proves remains relevant today, even if the masses aren't aware of what it has to say. Goodson uses it to shame the reporter while Estevez uses it as the movie's voice to call attention to the homeless crisis. It's a fine summation of a movie that never does quite reach full closure, but perhaps that is the point: there is no end in sight to the homeless crisis, but perhaps the movie can call renewed attention to it, as Goodson hopes to accomplish in it. Universal's Blu-ray is disappointingly featureless; a filmmaker commentary would have been most welcome. As it is, the disc does offer high quality video and audio presentations, even if the latter is not particularly interesting from a sonic perspective. Recommended.