Mergers & Acquisitions

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: C     Feature: C

 

 

Writer/Director Mitchell Bard’s Mergers & Acquisitions is a feature that spends its 90 minutes in an ambitious but ultimately convoluted story about a freelance magazine writer (Steven Chester Prince) suddenly finding himself in a more reliable corporate job, but it is stressful and the owner’s spoiled son runs things.  He is also in a highly dysfunctional conflict with his brother (Brian Vander Ark) who can only think of money and accounting their mother (Jill Hayworth) has issues of her own.

 

The set up is interesting, but despite a half-decent script, the acting, editing and lack of well-roundedness cannot meet the expectations or ambitions of the project.  It is interesting at times, but the length feels too long and leaves too much unaddressed and unresolved.  Bard should still try again.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is soft with color and serious detail limits.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is compressed and barely stereo throughout, so much so that it might as well be monophonic at times.  Extras include director’s commentary, deleted scenes and trailer.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo