We're No Angels
Studio: Paramount
Year: 1989
Rated: PG-13
Length: 106 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, English Surround
English Subtitles, Closed Captioned
Special Features: None
SRP: $14.99US |
Release Date: February 17, 2004
We’re No Angels (1989) was penned by David Mamet, and was based on a play which was already made into a (superior) film in 1955. This, the remake, was directed by Neil Jordan and stars Robert DeNiro and Sean Penn.
The original film version of this story, made in 1955, starred Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov - and was directed by Michael Curtiz.
The story follows two dimwitted escaped convicts in 1935 as they hide out and pose as priests in a small town near the U.S. - Canadian border. Attempts to cross the border are thwarted by various means, and the pair find themselves having to continue their charade among the many monks and other religious figures at the local church who, somehow, can’t catch on that the two are not real men of the cloth.
The film suffers from over-the-top performances by DeNiro and Penn, and the comedy is so low-key that it fails to provide significant laughs. The story is all too predictable to be truly enjoyable - though the film does offer some chuckles, and it is interesting to watch DeNiro and Penn together - even if their performances play like caricatures.
The Video
We’re No Angels is presented in anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1. Colors are muted and slightly cool, adding to the ambiance of a cold northern border town. The picture is adequately sharp, with very little grain. Contrast is good. Shadow detail is ever so slightly lacking in the darker scenes, but overall is good. Dust and scratches are not an issue. This is a good transfer of a catalog title.
The Audio
A Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is provided, though the source material never takes full advantage of it. Dialog is usually clear and intelligible, but I occasionally had trouble hearing DeNiro’s character when he was mumbling - which he seemed to do frequently. Music and sound effects utilize all five channels to some degree, but the mix is unaggressive. Only in the climax does any significant amount of LFE come into play. Given that the film is fifteen years old, and is not the type of film that usually takes great advantage of a 5.1 track, this soundtrack sounds as expected, and does not disappoint.
Final Thoughts
I would have preferred to see the original
We’re No Angels released on DVD, since I feel it is a far superior film. Fans of this remake, though, should enjoy this fine transfer from Paramount. This disc is without extras.
