Synopsis
Her hands covered in blood, a distraught-beyond-coherence Julianne Moore wanders into a hospital with a story of being carjacked in a predominantly black housing project area. Detective Samuel L. Jackson, assigned to the case, learns from her that her young son is apparently still in the car. Given that her brother is a cop in the adjoining white area, all hell breaks loose and racial tensions threaten to send an explosive situation into terminal meltdown. But the question is whether there i… more to Moore’s story than there at first seems.
The connections to the infamous Susan Smith case are immediately apparent, which should raise warning flags in the audience’s mind from the get go. The film comes at your with roaring high energy, but in a manner that is quickly becomes rather tiring. Early in the film, when Jackson is interrogating Brenda, he works himself up into such a frenzy yelling at her (do all cops do this with mothers whose children have apparently been abducted) that he begins to succumb to an asthma attack. At this point, while the viewers might be feeling similarly out of breath, they might also be reaching for the eject button as the film has gone so far over the top it has become ridiculous. This isn’t to say the movie isn’t without some qualities, notably Edie Falco’s performance, but it does not cohere successfully.
Audio
Whatever one might think of the film’s excessive energy, it is at least matched by the superb audio track. The score is very striking, and so is its mix. The volume is powerful, and the bass line tremendous. Equally good are the environmental effects. Between their force and their placement, they create an utterly immersive experience. The film may try one’s patience, but it is hard to escape the embrace of the sound design.
Video
The picture is just as good. The colours are fantastic, as are the colours and the blacks. The image couldn’t be any shaper, and there is absolutely no grain or edge enhancement. So the transfer looks like a million bucks, and the sound is a perfect match. If only the film itself were better. The fullscreen option is provided for those who want to miss about half the picture. The sensible will chose the 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen option.
Special Features
The movie’s lack of box-office mojo is no doubt reflected in the fact that the only extras are ten trailers, none of which are for the feature itself. The menu’s intro is animated and socred, and the menu itself is scored.
Closing Thoughts
Fabulous transfer, flubbed film, zero extras to speak of.
Special Features List
- Trailers
