Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

The Sum of Us Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 13, 2016

Winner of AFI Award for Best Screenplay, Australian directors Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling's "The Sum of Us" (1994) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Olive Films. The only bonus feature on the disc is an original theatrical trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

I've got some magazines...

This film had me laughing so hard that a couple of times I had to press the Stop button on my remote control to wipe off my tears. It is too bad that there are no special features on the Blu-ray release because I would have loved to hear Jack Thompson, Russell Crowe, and John Polson discussing their work together. These guys must have had a great time shooting the film.

The main protagonists are a father and son who could not be any more different but somehow have learned to live together under the same roof. Harry (Jack Thompson, Breaker Morant) is a bit old-fashioned and though he does not like showing it he definitely misses his late wife. He does most of the grocery shopping, most of the cooking, and most of the house cleaning. He does not complain because he wants his son Jeff (Russell Crowe, L.A. Confidential) to have more time to go out and find the love of his life just like he did all those years ago when he met his mother. But this has not been easy because Jeff is gay and his options have been limited. It is not like he has not been meeting other guys, but they have not been the right type. They have been more like friends and casual lovers, not guys looking to be in a serious relationship.

Now it seems like there is finally hope on the horizon. Jeff has told Harry that he is going out on a date with Greg (John Polson, Mission: Impossible II), who is unlike any of the guys he has seen in the past.

The date goes exactly as planned and later on Jeff invites Greg back to the house for a drink. He then introduces him to Harry, who likes him so much that instead of going to bed decides to have a couple of drinks with him. Eventually he leaves, but after him so does Greg, unsure what to make of Harry and Jeff’s relationship and the ways the apparently treat their guests.

Inspired by Jeff’s success Harry secretly meets Joyce (Deborah Kennedy, Idiot Box), who has lost her husband and now also feels lonely. They like each other so much that a few weeks later Harry proposes to her. Then he introduces her to Jeff, but when she realizes that he is different she promptly scolds Harry and walks away.

Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling’s The Sum of Us could have been a seriously obnoxious farce full of clichés about gay and heterosexual relationships and the awkward situations some people find themselves in when they realize that ‘the other side’ is just as normal as ‘their side’. Fortunately, the film hits all of its targets with such precision, honesty and terrific sense of humor that it is an absolute delight to watch.

Thompson is the heart and soul of the film. He oozes irresistible warmth and humor that literally shape up the film’s identity. His witty remarks are always delivered on time and his facial expressions never feel forced. More importantly, a lot of the risky material becomes harmless precisely because of his perfect management of the funny and the truth.

Crowe is excellent as the young and sensitive guy who is determined not to wear masks but routinely has to make compromises. His struggles come with specific messages but they don’t feel forced. Polson’s character is a man who isn’t fully comfortable in his own skin and has a terrible time meeting the expectations of the people that love him. His performance is a bit on the heavy side but still feels authentic.

Kennedy is the only one who appears slightly out of sync, but her scenes with Thompson are nevertheless quite entertaining.

The Sum of Us Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling's The Sum of Us arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.

It is easy to tell that the release is sourced from an older master. During the darker/indoor footage shadow definition isn't optimal and as a result some flatness emerges; clarity also isn't overly impressive. During the outdoor footage detail and clarity are much better, but depth certainly could be better (see screencapture #3). Colors are stable, but saturation should be better and a much wider range of healthy nuances should be present (see screencaptures #11 and 12). There are no traces of recent degraining or sharpening adjustments, but the film does look rather soft which leads me to believe that at some some in the past a light filter of some sort must have been applied. Image stability is outstanding. Finally, there are no large debris, cuts, damage marks, or stains to report in our review. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Sum of Us Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio does not appear to have been fully remastered. However, clarity and depth are very good. There are no balance issues either. The dialog is stable and clean, but I must mention that it is not always easy to follow. Indeed, some of the Australian accents are quite thick and some of the exchanges could be rather difficult to follow. Thankfully, the English SDH subtitles are excellent. There are no audio dropouts, pops, background hiss, or digital distortions to report in our review.

The Sum of Us Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for The Sum of Us. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

The Sum of Us Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A straight father and his gay son have a very difficult time finding true love in this honest but very funny film from Australian directors Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling. I had not seen it before and I am glad I did now because it is yet another reminder that Jack Thompson is one of Australia's most talented actors. Olive Films' technical presentation of the film is rather good, but I would have loved to see some sort of a documentary feature reuniting the stars and have them discuss their work together. RECOMMENDED.