Blu-ray Movie Reviews

One night, Alfie wakes up with a sudden wave of panic over thoughts of mortality. Abandoning Helena, his wife of forty years, Alfie sets out to relive the pleasures of his youth. Devastated, Helena tries to kill herself, and then, finding no consolation from medicine and therapy, seeks out the help of a fortune teller, Cristal. Before long, Helena finds the tranquility she seeks by surrendering all her thoughts and actions to Cristal's guidance. Helena's daughter Sally encourages her mother's pacifying visits to the charlatan fortune teller, as she is weary of dealing with her mother's trauma, and has marital problems of her own. Her novelist husband Roy is unable to hold a paying job and the couple lives off of Helena's support and Sally's earnings as an assistant to a prominent gallery owner, Greg Clemente. Years ago, Roy produced an acclaimed first novel, but his subsequent books haven't lived up to his initial promise. Roy's fears that he may be a flash in the pan make him hard to live with and they clash over Sally's desire to have a child.

The natural photography of this film showcases the finer points of Blu-ray with rich fine detail and striking color rendition. I was impressed with the open shooting style that lent to a nice large canvas of imagery that looks like it may have been captured digitally, but still has a cinematic feel with fine film grain and balanced light. The soundtrack is largely dialogue based but the score manages to engage and keep the playful nature of the film’s story intact. Imaging is solid across the mains, but the surrounds do little to open up the soundstage.

No extras on this one aside from some trailers for other Sony films.

While not quite as much of a trademark Allen film it still manages to have rousing characters and an offbeat premise. I loved the performances and the cautionary tale had its moments but I don’t think I would recommend much more than a rental on this one. Sony still delivers a brilliant video transfer making it a solid recommendation for those that are already a fan of the film.