Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Columnist Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) agrees to write a first-hand account of what drives a man out of a relationship. Her case study turns out to be Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey), an ad-agency bachelor who just happened to make a bet with coworkers that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in—you guessed it—exactly 10 days.

This is definitely a "chick flick," but the characters are extremely likable, funny, and of course, good looking. The situations Benjamin must endure to win his bet are hilarious, especially when Andie crashes poker night and when she asks for a Diet Coke during the last seconds of a playoff basketball game. The ending is nice and tidy, as it is in all films of this genre, but there's nothing wrong with a happy ending, is there?

The AVC presentation is decent with vibrant and accurate colors, and compression is never an issue. Skin tones are accurate, although McConaughey's California tan doesn't fit the New York setting. Detail is a bit soft, especially in the texture of faces and the somewhat obscured backgrounds, but the contrast is very consistent with inky blacks and nice depth.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is pleasing, although it doesn't break any new ground. Dialog is clear and intelligible, and the bubblegum soundtrack exhibits decent frequency range. As appropriate for the genre, the surround speakers provide a fair amount of ambience but never really call attention to themselves.

Bonus features include a commentary track from director Donald Petrie, a few HD featurettes, a music video from Keith Urban, and some deleted scenes. If you're a fan of the film, be sure to watch "How To Make A Movie In 2 Years," which has some interesting tidbits on the production.

My wife loves romantic comedies and was happy to see this film make its way onto Blu-ray. The story is implausible, but it's well cast and has many laugh-out-loud moments. Recommended.

Release Date: August 18, 2009
Studio: Paramount

Movie: 7/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 7/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics