7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.6 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The underachieving son of an auto-parts tycoon and a snide accountant hit the road in order to save the family business.
Starring: Chris Farley, David Spade, Brian Dennehy, Bo Derek, Dan AykroydComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I swear I've seen a lot of stuff in my life, but that...was...awesome!
Tommy Boy plays out in what is (or at least was for its time) cinematic comedy convention,
but it does
so with plenty of heart, humor, and spunk, not to mention several standout performances and a
great script, and the
result is one of the better comedies of the 1990s. Made before the influx of raunchy teen comedies
that have become the standard bearer of the genre, this 1995 film has aged very well, still playing
as fresh and funny as ever, and remains one of the last vestiges of great comedy before the genre's
rapid decline over the past decade. In the spirit of some of the better films of one of the genre's
best
eras, Tommy Boy is a road trip movie in the tradition of Planes, Trains, and
Automobiles, and a touching film of self-discovery with comedic overtones.
Chris Farley proves that 'Tommy Boy' is 'the bomb.'
Paramount presents Tommy Boy on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. The movie might not be the brightest, sharpest, or most detailed, but it looks very nice on Blu-ray, with a good, enjoyable, film-like appearance about it. Everything about the transfer is above average, but not great. There are spots and speckles that pop up frequently throughout, particularly early on in the film. There is an appreciable sense of depth to some of the imagery, particularly during various exterior shots, even through the many Ohio backdrops that are somewhat drab and overcast. Detail is solid yet unspectacular. Some background details are soft in appearance, but such occurrences are never much of a hinderance to the enjoyment of the film. Black levels and flesh tones are solid. Comedies like Tommy Boy are all about the laughs, and a high quality presentation almost seems like gravy. To that end, Tommy Boy delivers a suitable high definition visual experience.
Tommy Boy graduates to a lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack for this Blu-ray release. As expected, it's nothing extraordinary, but it gets the job done well enough. Dialogue is adequately reproduced, emanating from the center channel with nary a hiccup. While this mix is mostly front heavy, a few good, discrete effects travel throughout the rear soundstage in several scenes. The soundtrack also plays very well across the front. The score spreads out to the front left and right channels, as does the popular music, both of which are reproduced with nice fidelity and clarity. There just isn't a whole lot going on here. The soundtrack is never a detriment to the film, and the lossless mix adds some clarity and vitality to what is a mostly front-heavy, basic sound design that is suitable for this style of filmmaking.
Paramount brings Tommy Boy to Blu-ray with several fine supplements. First up is a
commentary track featuring director Peter Segal. The director provides a solid track that is easy
to
listen to, spending plenty of time discussing Chris Farley, the script, the additional cast members,
shooting locales, and more. However, he does fall into the trap of just watching the movie and
laughing at various scenes, but there is enough here that fans should enjoy the experience. Also
included are a series of storyboard comparisons (480p, 13:54) for seven different scenes, playing
the final cut of the film alongside the hand-drawn storyboards that depict the same scene. Next
up are a series of deleted (480p, 6:43), extended (480p, 22:19), and alternate (480p, 4:18)
scenes. Also available is a Tommy Boy photo gallery.
Four featurettes are also included. Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter (480p, 29:08)
looks
at the origins of the picture, the acting careers of the stars, the evolution of the film, the
originality and vitality the actors brought to their roles, the film's legacy, and more. Stories
From the Side of the Road (480p, 13:31) looks at the origins of some of the film's gags and
the
improvisations the actors brought to their roles. Just the Two of Us (480p, 9:46) looks
at
the chemistry shared between Farley and Spade. Growing Up Farley (480p, 7:29)
features
Chris' brothers John and Kevin recalling some of their favorite memories from their childhood.
Concluding this supplemental package is a gag reel (480p, 4:16), a series of TV spots (480p,
7:37), and the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:28).
Tommy Boy makes for an enjoyable little ride that is always pleasant, easy on the eyes, scintillating on the funny bone, and very sweet in just the right dosage. Chris Farley and David Spade share wonderful on-screen chemistry, devouring a script that hits all the right notes at just the right time, and Farley's comedic genius shines through in what is easily his best picture. Farley was lost far too early. He was well on his way to becoming one of the greats of his generation, carrying on in the legacy of John Candy, not just in stature but in his ability to perfectly capture the finest of nuances in his vocal and physical abilities as a comedian. Paramount has done well by the Blu-ray release of this comedy classic, delivering suitable high definition audio and video and a fine selection of bonus materials. Fans can rest assured that this is currently the best way to experience Tommy Boy at home, and Paramount has priced it to sell. Easily recommended.
1996
2012
The Rougher Morning Edition
2017
1992
Unrated
2003
2006
2016
2018
2009-2015
10th Anniversary Edition
2008
Remastered
1980
1985
2018
2019
Unrated
1994
2017
2014
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2020