High Road Blu-ray Review

The 1080p Blu-ray transfer of 'High Road' presents a bright and clean visual experience that, while not perfect, adequately suits the film's overall presentation. Fine detailing is commendable, particularly in facial textures, intricate facial hair, and worn-down elements such as signage and building facades. This detailed quality, however, sometimes leads to a slightly over-sharpened image, with noticeable edge halos present throughout. Colors remain vibrant and stable across various scenes, including denim, bright costumes, and blue skies, with flesh tones consistently appearing accurate.

On the other hand, the film displays a somewhat flat and unimpressive digital aesthetic, lacking significant dimensionality. While skin tones are natural, colors occasionally seem muted rather than vivid. The sharp edges, manifesting as scattered halos, contribute to a somewhat harsh appearance at times. Additionally, technical artifacts such as light banding and aliasing are evident throughout the movie, slightly detracting from the viewing experience. Blacks and shadows exhibit a flatness, failing to provide deep contrast.

Despite these imperfections, the presentation delivers a serviceable HD viewing experience. The mix of vibrant color stability and solid fine detail should satisfy audiences without high expectations for an exceptional high-definition transfer.

The audio presentation of "High Road" on Blu-ray is anchored by a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that, while doing its job adequately, falls short of delivering a truly immersive experience. The standout moment occurs during the opening scene, featuring Glenn and his band’s final performance. Here, the drums, guitar, and vocals fill the channels well, delivering an engaging live performance ambiance with a solid bass presence. However, it is worth noting that the bass can feel a bit mushy, which may be an intentional choice to reflect the local bar setting as opposed to a high-profile concert venue.

Beyond this opening, the mix transitions into a more conventional setup. The general score maintains a fine clarity with an adequate spatial depth and a balanced low end. Outdoor scenes are accompanied by light ambient sounds while more defined sound effects, such as the blaring of a smoke detector early on, play appropriately clear. Dialogue is anchored consistently in the front-middle portion of the soundstage, though overlapping conversations can render some lines difficult to catch.

The rear channels are underutilized, offering minimal engagement throughout the film. Additionally, more dynamic effects like gunshots lack significant impact, with the sub-woofer notably dormant outside of the opening musical performance. Despite fulfilling basic audio requirements adequately, this Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix ultimately remains unremarkable and does not enhance the film beyond a serviceable level.

The Blu-ray extras for "High Road" offer a blend of humor and insight through cast and crew interviews. Key participants include Horatio Sanz, James Pumphrey, Joe Lo Truglio, and Lizzy Caplan, who discuss a variety of topics including the improvisational nature of the film, the intricacies of character development, and the wardrobe choices. While the interviews include promotional content, the comedic elements stand out, adding value and entertainment beyond the film itself. Complementing these are trailers for other Millennium titles, expanding the viewing experience.

Extras included in this disc:

• Cast and Crew Interviews: Featuring Horatio Sanz, James Pumphrey, Joe Lo Truglio, and Lizzy Caplan discussing film challenges and character development with humor.
• Trailers: Previews of other Millennium titles.

"High Road" is a film that blends elements of various genres – from road trip and chase to romantic comedy and stoner movie – into a peculiar, occasionally effective, but often aimless narrative. Directed by Matt Walsh, the film follows Fritz (James Pumphrey), a pot-dealing musician whose life spirals into chaos after the breakup of his band. The plot involves Fritz's hasty escape from law enforcement with teenage companion Jimmy (Dylan O'Brien), resulting in a quirky cross-country adventure. Despite its thin storyline, "High Road" relies heavily on its improvisational nature, contributing to an uneven mixture of humor and randomness. Character interactions, particularly between Fritz and Jimmy, introduce some standout comedic moments, though the overall structure feels haphazard.

The film's improvisational style becomes its double-edged sword. This approach generates a sense of spontaneity and realism but also highlights the movie's weaknesses. While comedic actors like Ed Helms, Joe Lo Truglio, and Rob Riggle deliver competent performances, they often falter due to the lack of coherent scripting. James Pumphrey's portrayal of Fritz oscillates between amusing and exasperating, lacking the refinement seen in seasoned improvisational actors. Newcomer Dylan O'Brien, however, shines in his role, displaying natural comedic timing that occasionally salvages some underwhelming scenes.

"High Road" aims to elevate itself above standard stoner comedies by infusing it with multiple subplots and eccentric characters. Unfortunately, this ambition often leads to convoluted and unnecessarily bizarre scenarios, such as Jimmy’s father's pursuit or oddball side stories involving characters like Lizzy Caplan's back-zit-popping scene. The movie's direction employs handheld camera work to involve the audience actively, yet it leans too heavily on its quirky charm rather than coherent storytelling, resulting in a film that feels less like a gratifying journey and more like a disjointed collection of random antics.

In summary, "High Road" offers sporadic laughs and a commendable effort at originality but suffers from an uneven execution that ultimately detracts from its overall effectiveness.

"High Road" is an independent film that offers a unique viewing experience due to its highly random and somewhat aimless narrative. The basic plot is straightforward enough to follow, but what makes the movie interesting are its characters. Their chemistry, energy, and the improvisational nature of their performances inject a level of excitement that a more structured film might lack. While it might not cater to everyone's tastes, particularly those who prefer more conventional storytelling, it nonetheless offers a somewhat distinctive and serviceable watch for those willing to explore its quirkiness.

From a technical standpoint, Millennium's Blu-ray release provides decent video and audio quality. The visual presentation is clear enough to appreciate the modest production values, while the audio mix, though unremarkable, is sufficiently balanced to ensure dialogue and sound effects are easily discernible. However, the release is somewhat barebones, featuring only one supplementary feature, which may leave those looking for deeper insights into the film's production a bit underwhelmed.

In conclusion, "High Road" isn't a film that will appeal to everyone. Its random narrative approach and mumblecore style might be off-putting to some. However, the engaging chemistry between the characters and the film's unconventional charm make it worth checking out for those with an open mind. Millennium’s Blu-ray presentation is competent enough for a rental, though maybe not substantial enough to warrant a purchase.