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What Doesn't Kill You [Blu-ray]
(Brian Goodman, 2008)
Review by Gary Tooze
Studio: Theatrical: Yari Film Group Releasing Video: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Disc: Region: FREE! (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:40:03.998 Disc Size: 27,965,939,135 bytes Feature Size: 23,714,531,328 bytes Average Bitrate: 31.60 Mbps Chapters: 16 Case: Standard Blu-ray case Release date: April 28th, 2009
Video: Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 Resolution: 1080p Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: Dolby TrueHD Audio English 2897 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2897 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, English (SDH), none
Extras: • Commentary by writer/director Brian Goodman and writer Donnie Whalberg • 13 Deleted and Alternate Scenes (15:34) • Makes You Stronger - The Making of What Doesn't Kill You (18:55) • BD-LIVE enabled
Bitrate:
Description: Brian (Mark Ruffalo) and Paulie (Academy AwardŽ nominee Ethan Hawke, Best Actor In a Supporting Role for Training Day, 2001) are two lifelong friends who grew up like brothers on the gritty streets of south Boston. They started early as street thugs living by the criminal code, doing petty crimes and misdemeanors that grew increasingly more serious. Eventually they fall under the sway of organized crime boss Pat Kelly (Brian Goodman). As Brian becomes increasingly lost in a haze of drugs and 'jobs,' he consistently disappoints his loyal wife (Amanda Peet) and their two sons. Torn between the desire to be a good husband and the lure of easy money, Brian must make the hardest choice of his life.
The Film: Calling Brian Goodman’s well-observed, episodic crime drama/character study a South Boston Irish Mean Streets isn’t too far off, but it sells the actor-turned-director’s feature debut somewhat short. Despite its ultrafamiliar setup, What Doesn’t Kill You (original title: Real Men Cry) makes a virtue of directness and simplicity. No rank mimic, Goodman has the sense to hang the frisson of his autobiographical tale on the actions and faces of his career-crook protagonists rather than on baroque Scorsesean logophilia or labyrinthine Michael Mann–esque plotting. The narrative couldn’t be more straightforward: Lifelong pals Brian and Paulie (Ruffalo and Hawke), tired of pulling jobs for a neighborhood tosser, strike out on their own, end up in prison and diverge upon their release. A local cop (coscreenwriter Wahlberg) and Brian’s wife (Peet) hang around for extra focus. Excerpt from TimeOut New York located HERE
Despite the feature being less than 25 Gig (the disc itself, however, sneaks into dual-layered territory) with some hints at a grittier, hand-held camera, technique - the high-definition image quality is, at times, very impressive. Indoor scenes have a rougher home edge making outdoor sequences shine on Blu-ray. While I might have suggested that the cinematography wouldn't export well to 1080P - in this case the image looks near perfect for relating the film's more realistic grassroots South Boston charm. Contrast might be the most worthy HD visual factor with emphasis on deep rich black levels. Colors appears true without being artificially overblown. Yes, this transfer looks quite strong and I have no notable complaints.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :The TrueHD track at 2897 kbps is adept but nothing overly remarkable. The film has its moments of separation with expected gunplay and violence. Bass response is most notable but the film is less aggressive in nature than might be expected from the 'crime-related' genre. The commentary is in 2.0 channel and there are no other audio options. Subtitles are available in English only.
Extras :The supplements appear to duplicate the simultaneously released DVD with the relaxed but informative commentary from Goodman backed by, co-writer and obvious friend, Donnie Wahlberg. Goodman touches on many of his personally related experiences which add some distinct interest to the discussion. There is an 18-minute SD featurette on the 'Making of...' with Goodman, Hawke and Ruffalo giving input - there are some behind the scenes shots as well. Aside from HD trailers - 13 deleted and one alternate scenes are included - these last about 15-minutes.
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze April 22nd, 2009
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About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 7500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3000 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
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