Video:

Aspect ratio: 1.78

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Bitrate:

 

Audio:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 3518 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3518 kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio French 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Portuguese 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps

Subtitles: English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, or none

Extras:

• Alternate Ending

• Deleted Scenes – in HD (7:30)

• I Love You, Larry Doyle – in HD (5:45)

• We Are All Different, But That's a Good Thing – in HD (8:50)

• Peanut Butter Toast – in SD (2:40)

• Fox Movie Channel – in Character with Paul Rust – in SD (3:00)

• Fox Movie Channel – in Character with Hayden Panetierre – in SD (3:00)

• Theatrical Trailer

The Film: 5
Denis (sic) Cooverman (Pauk Rust) is about to give his big speech at his high school reunion. Denis is his school’s valedictorian, and our stumbling, nerdy, totally lacking in confidence antihero has decided to use this opportunity to say what he’s been unable to say or act upon in any way for years. We might think that to declare his love for someone who may not even know he exists in such a public forum would be a whole lot harder than to have said “hello” at any other time in the past but, as Denis sees it, he doesn’t want to go through the rest of his life regretting inaction. It’s a noble sentiment – one that most of can appreciate, at any age.

And so he says it: “I love you, Beth Cooper” right in the middle of his speech. He sets it up nicely and actually engages the attention of his fellow students for a moment in more than simple astonishment. It’s a good starting point for a movie, especially as we come to know Beth as someone very different from the girl he masturbates to. Denis comes to learn this over the course of the next 18 hours and so we have the makings of a substantive second act. It’s too bad that it’s all squandered on cardboard characters, loud, over the top comic antics, threats of bodily harm (by Beth’s boyfriend who has arms bigger than Denis’ waist), actual bodily harm by said boyfriend, crazed driving in cars and smashing into other cars and plate glass windows.

Image: 8/9   NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were ripped directly from the Blu-ray disc.
The first number indicates a relative level of excellence compared to other Blu-ray video discs on a ten-point scale. The second number places this image along the full range of DVD and Blu-ray discs.

Whatever we might think of the movie, the Blu-ray image is certainly respectable: sharp, noiseless, artifact-free, with a vivid, warm color palette and popping contrast. I found nothing to complain about.

Audio & Music: 7/7
Subtle, it isn't. You do get considerable bang for your buck here: punchy, loud, with music and effects that feel a little like they're on crystal meth, even if its characters aren't. There are a number of chase scenes, in and out of cars, where the immersive experience may be more than you bargained for. Yet through it all, dialogue can be heard clearly, which means it competes at a useful, if not sensible level. It all makes a kind of sense given the kind of action move ILYBC devolves into.

Operations: 7
The menu works as advertised. There aren't many extra features to make looking for them a chore.

Extras: 3
As its title suggests, I Love You, Larry Doyle offers little more than the cast falling over themselves in love with the writer, who does manage to get a word in about how he adapted his novel to the screenplay. In “We Are All Different, But That's a Good Thing” the cast talks about their characters, each another, and how they came to see themselves in their respective parts. “Peanut Butter Toast” is there to see how reviewers will find ways to creatively vomit all over it. There is an alternate ending and some deleted scenes that wouldn’t have helped matters. In the two brief Fox Movie Channel segments, Paul and Hayden, separately, talk about their approach to their characters.

Bottom line: 5
Maybe ILYBC would make for a fun popcorn movie. Since the great majority of the movie is painfully silly, with a sufficiency of beer no one will likely notice its . Image and audio quality are first rate. Extras are mind-numbing. What’s not to like!

 Leonard Norwitz
November 17th, 2009