Perfect Stranger (Blu-ray/2007)

 

Picture: A-     Sound: B+     Extras: C     Film: C

 

 

Poor Halle Berry.  No matter how hard she fights to get a project to put her back on the map, no matter the many in Hollywood who want to work with her, here career has been choppy since Catwoman bombed and X-Men 3 was far from satisfying.  Since Gothika was a moderate hit, she decided to try that route again with the non-supernatural and fascinating James Foley thriller Perfect Stranger (2007) with Bruce Willis and Giovanni Ribisi.

 

Halle plays an investigative reporter who gets into trouble often, but keeps many secrets, including the one where her friend is having an extra-marital affair with the powerful Harrison Hill (Willis) who is a big advertising honcho.  When she turns up mysteriously dead, she is maybe the only person besides Hill who knows they are having an affair.  She decides to investigate and when she is fired form her job, decides to take a new one at Hill’s agency to see if he is the killer.  She is pretty certain, but needs proof and Mrs. Hill is not going to be happy.  She is willing to do anything to find out.

 

Also helping her is he good friend Miles (Ribisi) who happens to be a tech whiz and helps her to bug places, get through firewalls and knows gadgets galore.  You would think this would be enough, but Todd Komarnicki’s screenplay decides to add twists and turns that are not as stupid as many since The Sixth Sense, but are as wacky as they are unexpected, eventually rendering this an unintended comedy.  Too bad, because this had the potential to be really good and Foley can direct, but once again, another Revolution Studios goes off the deep end and this implodes simply and hilariously.  You juts have to see it to believe it and if you can see it on Blu-ray, all the better.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in Super 35mm by Anastas Michos, A.S.C., and looks as good as another semi-glossy thriller on Blu-ray (and HD-DVD, reviewed elsewhere on this site) that almost worked: Firewall with Harrison Ford.  That was an early HD release that impressed and this is similar in consistency and detail.  The money was put into this film too and it shows often, making many moments demo quality.  The PCM 16/48 5.1 mix is better than the Dolby Digital 5.1 versions present, with some amusing soundfield choices and Antonio Pinto’s amusing (sometimes unintentionally) score.  Yes, the mix falls into clichés of the genre, but it does it with enough energy that you will not notice as much.  The only extra is a behind the scenes featurette, but boy, would I have enjoyed an audio commentary.

 

As a laugh at the time it came out, it had a conclusion that made everyone laugh and scratch their heads.  This will not give away anything, but remember the quotes after my name below after you have watched the film.  I have put them there so they will not spoil the film, but guarantee you a few laughs once you see it.  First, what I said to my friends and fellow patrons at the end of the screening that got everyone laughing….

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my God, it’s Don Imus!!!

 

 

 

And don’t forget: “Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy.  Miles is sexy….”