This Is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

This Is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Movie Review

"It's hard to see people from your past when your present is so cataclysmically screwed up."

This Is Where I Leave You nearly starves its overpopulated ensemble. Not only does its brisk 103-minute runtime leave director Shawn Levy without much in the way of wiggle room, it leaves a handful of characters underwritten and several actors underutilized. Based on screenwriter Jonathan Tropper's own 2010 novel of the same name, the film suffers from indecision and a lack of tough editing. Had it expanded its story, sacrificing pacing a bit -- even by twenty minutes -- it might have been a more rounded dramedy, with fewer one-note supporting characters. Had it narrowed its focus, axing unnecessary roles without trimming down the runtime, it would have been a sharper comedy, without so many quick-hitters appearing and disappearing on a whim. Does that make This Is Where I Leave You a bad film? Not in the slightest. It's sad, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with a great cast delivering a memorably dysfunctional family that loves, fights, struggles, argues and forgives with convincing chemistry and snarky yet sincere ease. There are flaws, sure (semi-contrived movie-character quirks are out in full force), but between Jason Bateman, Tina Fey and their co-stars' performances, the nuances of the sibling rivalries and relationships, and a cleverly structured family reunion built to maximize hilarity, there's enough here to warrant strong consideration. And if the Altmans are anything like your family, brace yourself for even bigger laughs while grabbing a bigger box of tissues.

This Is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation is the highlight of the disc, with a lifelike palette that favors tamed hues over vibrant colors yet still allows primaries to pop as needed. Saturation is dialed in carefully, with natural skintones and a welcome variance of cool and warm tones suited to any given scene, and contrast is consistently satisfying, with deep black levels and revealing delineation. Detail is excellent too, and ringing is kept to the barest of minimums. Edges are crisp and cleanly defined, textures are well-resolved and, in the case of close-ups, quite striking, and only a few shots suffer from any reduction in clarity. (Each instance being the product of lighting and the original photography. Nothing more.) Better still, the encode is proficient and problem-free, without anything in the way of significant macroblocking, banding, aliasing or other unsightly issues.

This Is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This Is Where I Leave You features a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track as well. The film's sound design doesn't exactly lend itself to a full, absorbing experience, but the little touches it boasts make all the difference. Easily overlooked but crucially engaging ambient effects and precise directionality contribute to a rather immersive soundfield; one that's made even more involving thanks to Michael Giacchino's score. The LFE channel is as restrained as the rear speakers, yes, but both work hand in hand to provide everything Levy requires the moment it's required. A few select scenes push the mix beyond its humble boundaries, and the track doesn't falter for a second. Moreover, dialogue is intelligible, perfectly prioritized and nicely grounded throughout the film, making this a less-than-remarkable but more-than-serviceable lossless track.

This Is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: Screenwriter/executive producer Jonathan Tropper and director/producer Shawn Levy offer an engaging, extensive overview of the production, touching on everything from the adaptation to the casting, performances, story and characters. Most interesting is their discussion of Tropper's adaptation of his own novel, with the filmmakers noting differences between the book and movie, as well as the reasons for the various changes.
• Points of Departure (HD, 20 minutes): Four production featurettes with cast and crew interviews, each one focusing on a different relationship in the film. Segments include "The Brother-Sister Bond," "The Matriarch," "Sibling Rivals" and "Choreographed Chaos."
• The Gospel According to Rabbi Boner (HD, 6 minutes): Actor Ben Schwartz, Tropper and Levy talk about the character, the idea to use a childhood friend as the Altman's rabbi, and Schwartz's performance.
• The Narrative Voice (HD, 4 minutes): Further discussion with Levy and Tropper.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (HD, 14 minutes): Six scenes in total.

This Is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you're able to ignore the flaws in the at-times indulgent This Is Where I Leave You, embracing all its hits and breezing past its small but irritating misses, a genuinely heartfelt and hilarious dramedy awaits. Yes, fringe members of the ensemble suffer from the film's short runtime, and yes, some of the character quirks are overly manufactured, to the point of being a distraction. Ignore it all. Focus on Bateman, Fey, Stoll, Driver and Fonda, the cast's chemistry, and the lightly dysfunctional relationships and you'll be set. There's a lot here to enjoy. Warner's Blu-ray release makes it all go down even easier with an excellent video presentation, faithful DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and a decent selection of extras, including a solid filmmakers' commentary.