Then She Found Me (Blu-ray)
Studio: THINKFilm / Image Entertainment
Year: 2008
Rated: R
Film Length: 100 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (English)
Subtitles: English (SDH), Spanish
US DVD Release Date: September 2, 2008
Movie: 4 out of 5
Helen Hunt's directorial debut, Then She Found Me, is an independent comedy drama, loosely based on the novel by Elinor Lipman. Hunt plays school teacher April Epner, who in the first 15 minutes of the film, has her huband (Matthew Broderick) leave her, her adoptive mother dies, and her birth mother (Bette Midler) contacts her. After her first date with Frank (Colin Firth), the father of one of her students, she finds herself preganant with her ex-husband's child. The comic tone of the film is subtle, with the humor coming from character interactions and situations. The flim received a very limited theatrical release, despite the exceptional cast, which is a shame, as this is definitely an overlooked film, and is worth seeking out.
Video: 3.5 out of 5
The Blu-ray release from Image Entertainment features a nice 1080p transfer, using the AVC codec, framed in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Don't expect a reference quality presentation, due to the film's low budget and subject matter. Film grain is present, but minimal and not obtrusive, and colors are consistent.
Audio: 3 out of 5
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track provided on this disc seems to be overkill for such a front-heavy, dialogue-driven soundscape, but fidelity is good. In comparison, the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, encoded at 640 kbps, appeared a bit louder with more surround presence, but was too bass-heavy in my opinion.
Special Features: 3 out of 5
The highlight of the included special features is the very imformative commentary track by Helen Hunt. Her commentary style on this disc was a cross between James L. Brooks (whom she credits several times) and Robert Rodriguez. This is a very educational experience, giving insight on how this independent, low budget feature was made.
A behind the scenes featurette, consisting of interviews with the cast, filmed during the making of the movie. It is mostly a pat on the back to Helen Hunt by her fellow cast members, but Ms. Hunt also talks a bit about the ten year journey she took to get this film made. Presented in 16:9 standard definition.
A series of EPK interviews with the main cast, presented in 4:3 standard definition.
The theatrical trailer, presented in 16:9 standard definition.
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 (not an average)
Then She Found Me is a definite must-have for anyone interested in film making, thanks to the engaging commentart track by director Helen Hunt. This is also a very intelligent, entertaining little film with exceptional performances.
This DVD was reviewed on the following home theater gear:
Toshiba 56HM66 DLP HDTV
Sony Playstation 3
Yamaha HTR-5940 Home Theater Receiver (in 5.1 configuration)
Yamaha NS-AP2600 Home Cinema Speaker Package
Yamaha YST-SW010 subwoofer
