Gary Sinise (who also produced and directed) is George, the smart one. John Malkovich (in a role light years from his usual creepy venom) is Lennie, child-like but enormously strong. The two best friends wander Depression-era California, looking for work. They find what seems likea long-term gig at the Tyler Ranch, but trouble rears its head in the form of the unhappy Sherilyn Fenn, trapped in an abusive marriage. It isn’t long before everything goes to hell.
Audio
This isn’t the full DTX treatment, and the mix is only 2.0, but it still sounds very, very nice.There is distinct separation of sound on the left and right, and both music and sound effects have strong mixes both front and back. The music, in particular, shines. For all the power of the music,however, the dialogue is never obscured. A nice job.
Video
Good work on the video too. The picture is presented in its original 1.85:1 widescreen format, and the difference is felt in some of the sweeping long shots. The transfer is trouble free,with no image enhancement, pixellation. The night scenes are perfectly clear without sacrificing the deep tones of the blacks. The colors seem ever-so-slightly muted, but my sense is that this is the result of an artistic decision rather than a technical hitch.
Special Features
In this department, on the other hand, the release is very thin. The menu is still and silent (at least it’s quick). And the only extra is the trailer. It’s too bad there isn’t a director’s commentary.The film obviously was a labor of love for Gary Sinise, and it would have been interesting to hear what he had to say about it.
Closing Thoughts
While the almost total absence of extra features is a disappointment, the quality of the film itself is enough to warrant this a look.
