Dare
(2009/Image Entertainment Blu-ray)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: C+ Film: C+
Trying to
develop shorts into features does not always work and Adam Salky’s Dare (2009) is a remake of his won
short about two young men who have a sexual encounter that lands up sending
shockwaves through the lives of all around them, but the real shock waves come
from how uneven and awkward the results are and more so than any of the
content. Alexa (Emily Rossum) lands up
getting involved with the somewhat stuck-up Johnny (Zach Gilford) after a
strange verbal attack and other personal issues, while her close introverted
male friend Ben (Ashley Springer) becomes involved with him by way of her and
the unusual tensions their lives have built up to.
Unfortunately,
the female characters here are too cartoonish for their own good and all the
female characters (Ana Gasteyer’s somewhat oppressive mother, Sandra Bernhard’s
understanding psychiatrist who is never convincing) get short-changed including
Rossum’s and all the way to the end, including the dumb ending, it is a problem
with this work all the way. Insulting,
intentionally or not, it is lopsided and you can tell (straight or gay) this is
a male point-of-view piece stuck rather immaturely in its own world. The actors (also including Alan Cumming) give
it their best efforts, but none of the actors ever gel and the directing has
people talking at each other in phony ways instead of too each other. Too bad, because the situation is still a
problem for people, yet this cannot make any big statement about it.
The 1080p
1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image looks like it was shot on 720p High
Definition video or something around that, but always looking bad, noisy,
color-challenged, flawed and never good.
Director of Photography Michael Fimognari tries to give this form, but
it cannot help the many issues that make this more difficult to watch than
anything any of the characters could ever do.
The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mix is also flawed and limited,
but fares a little better, yet the low-budget restricts the production
throughout. Extras include writer/director
feature length audio commentary, Emily Rossum’s Auditions, Original Trailer, Deleted
Scenes and the original short that this was based on.
- Nicholas Sheffo
