The Best of Me Blu-ray Review
Will Fetters and J. Mills Goodloe have adapted Nicholas Sparks’ novel for the screen, and the back and forth motif using flashbacks to fill in chunks of backstory while the present-day tale continues onward does add a curiosity value for those who haven’t read the book: how could two such obviously fated-to-be-mated individuals have grown so distant in the two decades following their initial meeting? The answers may be engrossing for some or eye-rolling for others depending on one’s temperament for the sort of Hallmark Channel melodrama that’s doled out in this story: white trash relatives (exemplified by Sean Bridgers as Dawson’s abusive father Tommy), an accidental death from a discharged rifle, a wealthy father (Jon Tenney) willing to pay for his daughter’s freedom from romantic allure. The variation on the Romeo and Juliet saga hasn’t grown any fresher or more involving by changing locales or stretching the storytelling over a two decade timespan. There are also major common sense problems in the narrative details (the lack of law enforcement looking into obvious child abuse, a clear cut and unhidden drug operation taking place without police interference, continuing to have personal interaction in a small township where vengeful relatives are within spitting distance, heart transplant procedures that are completely ignored). To his credit, director Michael Hoffman focuses on his two sets of attractive leading players and throws in as many gauzy walks through lovely gardens and refreshing dips in the nearby pond (all to soft, romantic pop tunes on the soundtrack) to cater to his obvious target audience.
But while the four actors individually do fine work, there is not one whit of resemblance between James Marsden and Luke Bracey playing the older and younger Dawson or Michelle Monaghan and Liana Liberato as Amanda’s older and younger selves. Speech cadences, body language, facial features: none of it matches, so the forward and backward passages of time seem jarring when we’re supposed to be seeing the couple older and younger but instead seem to be seeing two different couples who just happen to have the same names. (Paul Walker was originally slated to play the older Dawson before his untimely death, but he wouldn’t have been that much better a match for Bracey than Marsden is.) Gerald McRaney brings his characteristic gruff amiability to Tuck making one lament that more wasn’t done with the character. Sebastian Arcelus is Amanda’s current jerk of a husband, and Sean Bridgers and Jon Tenney superbly play opposite ends of the social register as Dawson’s and Amanda’s fathers respectively.
Tears of Joy Movie Edition (1:55:55, HD): the movie somewhat restructured and with a completely new ending which romantics may favor (but which is just as contrived as the theatrical version).
Along for the Ride (1:53, HD): author Nicholas Sparks promotes another upcoming story.
Nicholas Sparks Interviews (HD): the author speaks briefly with each set of leading actors discussing their approaches to their characters and their attitudes about playing them. James and Michelle speak for 2:47 while Luke and Liana talk for 2:18.
Music Video: “I Did “ (3:28, HD): Lady Antebellum performs amid clips from the film.
Theatrical Trailer (1:21, HD)
Promo Trailers (HD): Wild, The Longest Week, Hector and the Search for Happiness.
Ultraviolet: code sheet enclosed in the case.
The sappy contrivances of the stories by Nicholas Sparks either appeal to one or they don't; there's very little middle ground. Michael Hoffman’s The Best of Me, adapted from a Sparks best seller, continues the past and present storytelling motif of other Sparks works, but casting for the film hasn’t been felicitous in finding good matches for past and present incarnations of characters we’re supposed to grow to care about, and the movie’s purple melodramatic passages are hard to take unless one surrenders himself completely to this kind of romantic hooey.
Studio: Fox
Distributed By: N/A
Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 1 Hr. 58 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray, UltraViolet
keep case in a slipcoverDisc Type: BD50 (dual layer)
Region: A
Release Date: 02/03/2015
MSRP: $39.99
The Production Rating: 2.5/5
Will Fetters and J. Mills Goodloe have adapted Nicholas Sparks’ novel for the screen, and the back and forth motif using flashbacks to fill in chunks of backstory while the present-day tale continues onward does add a curiosity value for those who haven’t read the book: how could two such obviously fated-to-be-mated individuals have grown so distant in the two decades following their initial meeting? The answers may be engrossing for some or eye-rolling for others depending on one’s temperament for the sort of Hallmark Channel melodrama that’s doled out in this story: white trash relatives (exemplified by Sean Bridgers as Dawson’s abusive father Tommy), an accidental death from a discharged rifle, a wealthy father (Jon Tenney) willing to pay for his daughter’s freedom from romantic allure. The variation on the Romeo and Juliet saga hasn’t grown any fresher or more involving by changing locales or stretching the storytelling over a two decade timespan. There are also major common sense problems in the narrative details (the lack of law enforcement looking into obvious child abuse, a clear cut and unhidden drug operation taking place without police interference, continuing to have personal interaction in a small township where vengeful relatives are within spitting distance, heart transplant procedures that are completely ignored). To his credit, director Michael Hoffman focuses on his two sets of attractive leading players and throws in as many gauzy walks through lovely gardens and refreshing dips in the nearby pond (all to soft, romantic pop tunes on the soundtrack) to cater to his obvious target audience.
But while the four actors individually do fine work, there is not one whit of resemblance between James Marsden and Luke Bracey playing the older and younger Dawson or Michelle Monaghan and Liana Liberato as Amanda’s older and younger selves. Speech cadences, body language, facial features: none of it matches, so the forward and backward passages of time seem jarring when we’re supposed to be seeing the couple older and younger but instead seem to be seeing two different couples who just happen to have the same names. (Paul Walker was originally slated to play the older Dawson before his untimely death, but he wouldn’t have been that much better a match for Bracey than Marsden is.) Gerald McRaney brings his characteristic gruff amiability to Tuck making one lament that more wasn’t done with the character. Sebastian Arcelus is Amanda’s current jerk of a husband, and Sean Bridgers and Jon Tenney superbly play opposite ends of the social register as Dawson’s and Amanda’s fathers respectively.
Video Rating: 4.5/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 4/5
Special Features Rating: 3/5
Tears of Joy Movie Edition (1:55:55, HD): the movie somewhat restructured and with a completely new ending which romantics may favor (but which is just as contrived as the theatrical version).
Along for the Ride (1:53, HD): author Nicholas Sparks promotes another upcoming story.
Nicholas Sparks Interviews (HD): the author speaks briefly with each set of leading actors discussing their approaches to their characters and their attitudes about playing them. James and Michelle speak for 2:47 while Luke and Liana talk for 2:18.
Music Video: “I Did “ (3:28, HD): Lady Antebellum performs amid clips from the film.
Theatrical Trailer (1:21, HD)
Promo Trailers (HD): Wild, The Longest Week, Hector and the Search for Happiness.
Ultraviolet: code sheet enclosed in the case.
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed By: Matt Hough
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