Cyrus (2010/Fox Blu-ray)
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras:
C Film: C+
Cyrus marks brothers Jay and Mark Duplass' follow up to their 2008
horror comedy, Baghead. The film
examines the clinging nature of Reilly's character, John, as he is blind to how
much he still relies on his soon to be remarried ex-wife; and the similarly
needy relationship Hill's Cyrus has with his mother, played by Marissa Tomei. Soon their lives will clash after John meets
Cyrus' mom at a party, and their subsequent hooking up causes a complete change
to the dynamic of their lives.
The movie is far more understated than most audiences would have initially
assumed, when considering the presence of both Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly. While it is certainly good, it might not be
for all fans of the stars' more outrageous body of work, as they also draw on
their dramatic talents in this one.
While the film is certainly not Step Brothers, there are still enough
shenanigans early on in the film to hold interest for those here for the goofy
comedy that was implied. So at least Cyrus
is not a total bait and switch. By the end of the film, however, the gravity of
the situation sets in, and we see examples of growth and maturity in the
characters. It's all well and good, but
there are still things to complain about. Once things turn serious, we too quickly are
left with a dull ending that closes the film on a whimper rather than a bang.
Picture quality on Blu-ray is good, but there might not be too much incentive
in a film of this type to fork over the extra money for a premium format. The film is presented in anamorphic
widescreen, with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
Sound quality is solid, with a 5.1 DTS-HD mix, but again, the necessity of this
could might called into question by some potential customers. I, myself, didn't feel that there was anything
here demanding the Blu-ray treatment, aside from it becoming the new standard.
There are several extras, but nothing that particularly stands out. These include deleted scenes, a Q&A
between the directors of the film, and Fox Movie Channel pieces with Jonah Hill
and John C. Reilly.
Cyrus is a decent indie comedy, and one that comes recommended for fans of the
films Knocked Up and Juno.
- David Milchick
