Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Tumbledown Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 1, 2016

Director Sean Mewshaw's debut feature film Tumbledown, written by Desiree Van Til, breaks several molds and challenges genre complacency by refusing to give in to manufactured emotion and humor, choosing instead to focus on real life struggles and the human condition that juxtaposes linear forward progression with the difficulty of leaving the past behind. The movie focuses more on heart and spirit than it does light and fluffy humor, weaving the latter into the former as the film naturally develops, as antagonists find a common ground in the past and a way forward for the future. That said, there are no revolutionary ideas, but where the movie finds its success is in its core honesty, its ability to finely paint a picture of what it means to live, a process that treasures the past, exists in the moment, and looks hopefully to the future.

The widow.

Hannah Miles (Rebecca Hall) is still mourning the loss of her husband, a popular folk singer named Hunter. His grave has become a tourist attraction of sorts and a collector of all variety of gifts fans have left behind at his Maine burial site. Hannah has moved on, in some ways. She's sleeping with a local man named Curtis (Joe Manganiello), but he only satisfies her physical needs; he can't replace Hunter in other, far more emotionally intimate, ways. One day, she's approached by a college professor named Andrew McDonnell (Jason Sudeikis) who wants to make Hunter the centerpiece of his latest academic writing. Hannah isn't keen on the idea. She is a writer herself and is penning her own Hunter Miles biography. But when her manuscript receives a negative review, she calls on Andrew to co-author the biography, which means he'll co-habitate in her chilly Maine cabin with her and her two dogs, a situation which will either lift Hannah out of the past or entrench her deeper into it.

Tumbledown's slice-of-life approach captures the essence of the life process without over-burdening the audience with its painful details. The movie begins in the middle, maybe even at the tail end, of the healing process. It's a story of grief, coping with loss, and moving forward, with the added, and unenviable, layer of a public spotlight that, for the widow, becomes more than a grave cluttered with nicknacks, liquor bottles, and joints when an ambitious college professor shows up wanting to take away her grieving process for his own benefit. Of course, it's not an underhanded maneuver -- he acknowledges the grieving process and hopes she's moved past it -- but the core story drivers allow for an interesting portrayal of how human beings cope with life after the death of a loved one and the process of moving forward. The film attempts, and often successfully, to show how the little things make the biggest impression and leave the most indelible of marks, whether in the journey forward or those things that metaphorically dim the soul and pull the person back into the pain. Ultimately, however, the movie handles the story with grace and realism, resisting the urge to fall into cinematic comfort zones while still staying just close enough to the periphery to keep the movie accessible and, in its own way, entertaining, even as it deals in rather challenging subject matter.

Tumbledown blends sweet and smart thanks to both a well-conceived, sharp, and effortlessly flowing script that's superficially simple but more deeply complex and, most important, actors who understand the characters and every last detail on the path the story leads them down. Both Jason Sudeikis and Rebecca Hall fall completely into role, the latter particularly impressive as she maneuvers through one of the most delicate periods of the grieving process, just as she's approaching that hump and reaching the other side, long since past the initial bursts of pain but still close enough -- largely though her own immersion -- that the wounds still easily open and even beckon her return to them. Both Sudeikis and Hall grasp the finer points of the characters they play while trudging through the exterior details that more immediately drive them. They show an intimate command of not only what they are saying and doing, but why they are saying and doing those things, mastering both the written script and the unwritten nuances that more fully shape the characters than the broad strokes on the page. Director Sean Mewshaw crafts the film with an easygoing spirit, largely allowing the story to play out before him while craftily accentuating key themes and ideas with a smartly conceived support structure around the actors.

Tumbledown Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Tumbledown's 1080p transfer isn't the most attractive to ever grace a Blu-ray disc, but it's pleasantly serviceable in every regard. The digital source photography is a clear step below the upper echelon of big budget studio productions, favoring a fairly flat and bland canvas that conveys the basics with plenty of horsepower but not a lot of serious, filmic muscle. Raw detailing is generally fine, particularly all sorts of lovely old wooden textures and older vehicle wear and rust. Rustic Maine attire reveals enough intimate detailing to get a sense of the finer textures, and faces showcase a healthy level of raw intimacy on every character. Colors are neither flashy nor dull, favoring a capable middle ground that allows the most impactful objects, like the old red pickup truck, to stand apart from the crowd. Black levels push to crush and noise, usually mild but sometimes moderate that borders on severe, intrudes for the duration. No other serious technical hangups are evident. Overall, this is good, though unassuming, presentation from Anchor Bay.

Tumbledown Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Tumbledown features a straightforward, practically no-frills Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The movie's sound design is inherently unremarkable. Dialogue dominates the experience, and Anchor Bay's track allows it to flow with a natural command of the front-center portion of the soundstage. Both prioritization and clarity are fine. The track dabbles in very light ambience. Crackling fires and minor traffic around town are the highlights, with the latter offering a few interesting bursts as horns honk around the stage during an early key moment. Music is largely defined by a couple of songs that play in a dance club later in the movie. The presentation doesn't stretch much beyond the front channels, but instrumental and lyrical clarity are good, and a well-rounded low end support element elevates a Hip-Hop song.

Tumbledown Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Tumbledown contains two bonus features.

• The Making of Tumbledown (1080p, 22:41): A look at the film's accurate portrayal of small town life, real-life inspirations for the film, core story details and themes, casting and performances, character details, Director Sean Mewshaw's work, and the movie's photography.
• The Music Behind Tumbledown (1080p, 2:48): A look at Damien Jurado's work as the voice of Hunter Miles, the music's emotional resonance and place in the movie, and more.

Tumbledown Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Tumbledown gently weaves together human drama and mild RomCom characteristics in a movie that's touching and meaningful. The script is smart, the performances are terrific, and the direction is capably smooth. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray yields adequate video and audio. Two extras are included. Recommended.