7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
When a young boy claims he was expelled for something he didn't do, his father sacrifices everything to defend his family's honor.
Starring: Gemma Jones, Nigel Hawthorne, Rebecca Pidgeon, Sarah Flind, Aden GillettPeriod | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
David Mamet is capable of doing many things, but he’s primarily known for doing one thing. He’s a writer who loves the razor edges of hard characters, often using meaty, profane dialogue to explore tough guys and their issues with male fragility. With “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “American Buffalo,” and “Oleanna,” Mamet established himself as a formidable force on the theatrical scene. In movies, he’s handled “House of Games” and “Homicide,” making it a bit difficult to understand how this proudly R-rated man decided to have his way with the G-rated-ness of 1999’s “The Winslow Boy.” An offering from revered dramatist Terence Rattigan, the material is known for its rigid Britishness, providing Mamet with an adaptation challenge he’s eager to conquer but doesn’t exactly pull off.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Winslow Boy" comes from an older scan of the feature, which deals with mild baked-in filtering along the way. It remains a bright viewing experience, dealing with sunlit rooms. Costuming offers autumnal and formal hues, and interiors retain the woodsy feel of decorations and construction. Greenery is comfortable. Blacks are deep, and delineation mostly survives on thick formal wear, with periodic solidifcation. Facial surfaces register acceptably with some softness, surveying age and emotion. Source is in decent condition, but speckling is a common sight.
The 2.0 LPCM sound mix offers a sharp listening event for "The Winslow Boy," handling dialogue exchanges with precision, maintaining a rich sense of performance. Scoring cues provide orchestral warmth and dramatic support, never overwhelming scenes. Atmospherics are satisfactory, preserving crowd bustle and room tone.
"The Winslow Boy" is handsomely mounted, carried along by an expressive score composed by Alaric Jans. Storytelling is clear and performances, especially from Hawthorne, deliver feeling when necessary. This isn't material meant to become melodrama, but Mamet doesn't nail the power of relationships and moments of doubt. He's arranging a tea set with "The Winslow Boy," which is a laudable endeavor, but it doesn't result in captivating film. What's here is appreciable, but never extraordinary.
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