Grandma
(2015/Sony Blu-ray)
Picture:
B Sound: C+ Extras: C Film: B+
Elle's
granddaughter 'Sage' (Lily Tomlin in great form) shows up one day at
her door, she pregnant and needs $600 dollars to get an abortion.
Elle being short on funds herself takes Sage on an unforgettable road
trip to call in old favors and debts. By the end of the day, both
Elle (Julia Garner) and Sage will learn something about each other as
much as themselves in Paul Weitz's new film Grandma (2015).
Elle
is the grumpy old hippie lesbian grandma whom believes in woman's
freedom is finding independence from men (expect for sex), but after
screwing all her past friends, she usually ends up burning her
bridges with them (grandma's not the easiest of person in the world
to get along with). As Elle and Sage searches for the funds for the
operation, Elle imparts her 'pearls of wisdom' and Sage gives her
nothing but grief. Neither of them willing to back down, admit their
regrets nor take responsibility for their faults/shortcomings. Soon,
they realize the reason they don't get along, isn't because they are
so different ...but because they are so similar. However, the only
way Sage will ever learn to grow up is if Grandma learns to let her
go.
"You reap what you sow" could of been the theme
of this movie. People aren't born nasty or nice, but are made that
way, people are the results of the choices they made over an entire
lifetime. The whole movie seems to put the characters through
various challenges/bad luck/bad karma to explain how people can
become such grumpy so-and-sos when they get older, (it's not so
shocking) if you treat others like garbage, don't be surprised if
they treat you the same. Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer and Nat Wolff
also star.
The
1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image comes from an HD shoot that is
pretty decent throughout, if not a knockout, while the lossless
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 mix is recorded and mixed just fine but
is limited by being dialogue-based with a few weak spots. The
combination is just fine otherwise. Extras include a full-length
audio commentary, Q & A, and trailers.
-
Ricky Chiang
