44 Inch Chest (2009/Image Blu-ray)
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: C Film: C
An
attempt to make another Sexy Beast
type film, co-writers Louis Mellis and David Scinto have penned 44 Inch Chest,
a revenge/jealousy drama with few elements of suspense and once again playing
the ageism card. This time it does not
work, despite an impressive cast that includes Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, John
Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane and Steven Berkoff. The tale about a couple whose is finished
when Liz (Whalley) starts cheating with a younger man makes her husband Colin
(Winstone) get some of his friends together to kidnap the guy.
Despite a
fine cast and the potential of such an arrangement, it never gets anywhere,
plays like a bad telefilm and is too slow moving with nothing to offer when all
is said and done. Besides limits to the
material, director Malcolm Venville cannot overcome the problems through
limited experience behind the camera and the result is a project that is simply
disappointing. The chemistry the cast
should have is not even present.
The 1080p
1.85 X 1 image was shot on what looks like High Definition video and that too
is limited, though not as badly thanks to Director of Photography Dan Landin,
whose work alone in Music Videos (Radiohead’s No Surprises, the David Bowie/Trent Reznor collaboration I’m Afraid Of Americans, Garbage’s Milk) shows true visual talents he does
not show off here. Maybe he should have
directed. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio)
lossless 5.1 mix is quiet and dialogue-based, but well recorded enough just the
same along with a good score by Angelo Badalamenti. Extras include a feature length audio
commentary by Director Venville, original theatrical trailer, on camera
interview with Director Venville and a behind-the-scenes featurette.
- Nicholas Sheffo
