6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A Catholic Priest and a Homicide Detective, brothers drawn together after many years apart, in the aftermath of the brutal murder of a young prostitute.
Starring: Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Charles Durning, Kenneth McMillan, Ed FlandersCrime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
1981’s “True Confessions” is a strange entry in the filmographies of stars Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall. Both actors were at the top of their game when they agreed to participate in this adaptation of a John Gregory Dunne novel (he scripts along with Joan Didion), with Duvall coming off “The Great Santini” and “Apocalypse Now,” while De Niro was king of the hill after his work on “Raging Bull.” Perhaps looking for a change of pace, the stars dial down their normal intensity to take part in “True Confessions,” a considered examination of murder, brotherhood, and moral choices.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) looks to be sourced from an older master, with a slightly filtered appearance carrying through the viewing experience. Detail is passable, working with soft cinematography to deliver set expanse, with cavernous church spaces and the particulars of an early wedding sequence, highlighting all decoration and extras. Costumes and faces register with some texture. Colors are appropriate to the era, arriving colder but expressive, with solid hues on costuming and religious garb. Blacks are stable and communicative. Grain is subtle but effective, and print damage is regulated to speckles and a few blips of debris.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles dialogue exchanges, with heated emotions registering cleanly. Scoring and musical performances during the picture hold their integrity, with satisfactory instrumentation, sounding deep and real. The period atmosphere is articulated adequately, but this is not an explosive track, maintaining a respect level of dramatic interaction without overt damage, including limited hiss.
"True Confessions" is thematically sound and sharply assembled, setting a post-war L.A. mood without overdoing the ornamentation. Pace comes to be something of a problem for the movie, with the production missing editorial snap, trying to retain a literary edge by lingering on pained looks. It's a sluggish picture at times, but it sustains its dramatic intentions, completing a brotherly respect arc with taste and complexity. It's not peppy, but "True Confessions" has a special sense of feeling interpreted by a dynamite cast.
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
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