Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Sixty-two-year-old Walter Vale is sleepwalking through his life. Having lost his passion for teaching and writing, he fills the void by unsuccessfully trying to learn to play classical piano. When his college sends him to Manhattan to attend a conference, Walter is surprised to find a young couple has taken up residence in his apartment. Victims of a real estate scam, Tarek, a Syrian man, and Zainab, his Senegalese girlfriend, have nowhere else to go. In the first of a series of tests of the heart, Walter reluctantly allows the couple to stay with him. Touched by his kindness, Tarek, a talented musician, insists on teaching the aging academic to play the African drum.

This was a very moving drama. It is a perfect tale of how just a few events can change the course of your life forever. Walter meets these strangers in his apartment and what starts off as a gesture of kindness results in a whirlwind of dramatic events that change just about every aspect of his life. The performances here are outstanding and you can’t help but be moved by the story. A sensational drama.

Anchor Bay delivers a solid HD transfer that has a very film like look to it. Detail is excellent but this film lacks that razor sharp video look so many independent films seem to display. The color palette is very down to earth and contrast levels are very realistic. At times the image can waver a bit in overall dimension but overall it is a solid presentation.

The uncompressed PCM 5.1 soundtrack does a great job of keeping things in balance. The soundtrack does have an open quality to it but dynamic range does seem slightly limited at times. Some of the drumming sequences liven things up a bit but this film is more of a drama than a musical piece. Dialogue sounds very natural and is nicely balanced within the mix.

Extras include a feature on the drums used in the film and a bit of a lesson on using the African variant. A behind the scenes feature, some deleted scenes and the trailer is also included.

This is a solid drama that does a great job of conveying human emotion and the spirit of music. It also tells a great tale of life’s unpredictable changes. Recommended.