Joyful Noise Blu-ray Review

Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer of "Joyful Noise" offers an overall pleasing and commendable presentation. The 2.40:1 aspect ratio enhances the visual aesthetics, reflecting a well-maintained source with a light layer of grain that adds texture without detracting from the viewing experience. Colors are vividly saturated, providing a delightful visual impact, especially in outdoor sequences where the image pops with sharp clarity. Indoor scenes, however, occasionally exhibit slight softness and dimness. The contrast is high, and black levels are steady, though minor instances of grayish blacks are noticeable but not distracting.

The film's warm color palette, marked by strong primaries and lovely sun-tea hues, is particularly effective. While the choir performance scenes might not be as striking due to stage lights and dazzling flashes, these elements contribute to the film's vibrant atmosphere without introducing significant encoding issues. Close-up details range from serviceable to gratifying, with refined shots standing out. The transfer maintains a high standard, free of artifacting, banding, ringing, and aliasing, with only a minimal degree of crush present. Overall, "Joyful Noise" presents a commendable video quality that likely meets the upper limits of what could be achieved from its source material.

The Blu-ray presentation of "Joyful Noise" features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that produces a competent but rarely exhilarating auditory experience. The film, being primarily character-driven with a heavy emphasis on dialogue, benefits from an intelligible and well-prioritized speech track. The dialogue is clear, carefully centered, and free from any distortions. Despite its strong focus on conversation, the rear speakers do a commendable job in conveying a sense of space, especially during the choir's final performance at a large Los Angeles venue. However, directional effects are limited, and interior acoustics provide only a mildly immersive atmosphere.

Musical numbers stand out as the primary highlight of this audio mix. These sequences showcase an enveloping and dynamic soundfield, characterized by deep and aggressive bass as well as strong stereo separation. These elements come together to create an engaging and satisfying auditory experience whenever the music kicks in. The LFE output is restrained but becomes notably more assertive during musical segments, adding a layer of richness to the performances. Surround cues and audience reactions further open up the soundstage during these moments. Nonetheless, outside of the musical numbers, the overall sound design is rather average, with minimal environmental ambiance and rear speaker activity.

While the mix effectively handles the musical sequences, the non-musical parts of the film suffer from a lack of immersion and dynamism. This dichotomy results in a mixed audio experience that occasionally feels jarring due to the disparity between narrative and musical sections. The additional Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 track offers a similar experience, though with slightly different balancing characteristics. Despite these shortcomings, the track accomplishes its primary goals admirably, providing a clear and clean presentation that aligns well with the film’s material. Overall, the audio quality of "Joyful Noise" on Blu-ray is satisfactory but falls short of being exceptional.

The extras on the "Joyful Noise" Blu-ray provide a varied selection of brief featurettes and extended musical performances, all presented in 1080p with Dolby Digital 2.0 sound. While the attempts to delve into the personal inspirations behind the film and highlight the chemistry between its leading ladies, Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah, are laudable, they often fall short of offering substantial insights due to their brevity. The live performances provide a real treat for fans, but overall, the extras feel a bit lackluster and superficial.

Extras included in this disc:

• Inspiration of Joyful Noise: Filmmaker Todd Graff discusses the personal experiences that inspired the film.
• Leading Ladies: Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah talk about their on-screen chemistry.
• Extended Songs: Four extended songs from the film.
• Deleted Scene: A clip featuring Dolly Parton and Jeremy Jordan.
• He's Everything Live: A live performance by the cast at the Staples Center.
• Spotlight on a Song: Behind-the-scenes of Dolly Parton's "From Here to the Moon".
• Make Some Noise: A trailer-like EPK with a synopsis.

"Joyful Noise" attempts to harmonize the themes of faith, family, and competition within the frame of a small-town church choir gearing up for a national contest. Directed by Todd Graff, the film unfortunately falters in its execution. The narrative opens with the sudden death of choir director Bernie Sparrow (Kris Kristofferson), which leads to a clash between his widow G.G. (Dolly Parton) and the new choir leader Vi Rose (Queen Latifah). G.G. insists on modernizing the choir's repertoire, while Vi clings to traditional gospel. This friction forms the crux of a story that also juggles various subplots, including a Romeo-and-Juliet romance between their kin, and Vi's struggle as a single mother to an Asperger's-afflicted son. Yet the film’s attempt to balance these elements is disjointed, rendering its inspirational intents hollow.

Character performances exhibit inconsistent quality. Queen Latifah has a few standout moments, particularly in her mother-daughter arguments, whereas Dolly Parton's portrayal remains confined to her stock emotional expressions. Supporting actors Keke Palmer and Jeremy Jordan showcase decent chemistry and strong vocal abilities but their talents are not enough to elevate the flimsy script. Pulpy subplots, like that of choir member Earla’s awkward storyline about an unfortunate romantic misadventure, detract from the core focus and feel tonally misaligned.

While musical performances are well-executed, blending gospel with contemporary hits appealingly, they cannot compensate for a formulaic and unfocused plot. The film oscillates awkwardly between drama and comedy without engaging viewers deeply. Technically, the Blu-ray release offers a clean 2.40:1 visual presentation and a satisfactory 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, though these attributes are wasted on lackluster material. In summary, "Joyful Noise" makes noble attempts at upliftment and entertainment but ultimately only strikes a few pleasant chords against several discordant notes.

"Joyful Noise" strives to inspire with its story of a small-town choir aiming for national recognition, but ultimately falters despite its ambitious intentions. The film stars heavyweights like Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah, whose dynamic presence and soulful musical talents infuse some moments with life. However, their performances aren't enough to salvage a script that lacks depth and coherence. The subplots involving family dynamics and church politics feel underdeveloped and fail to engage, leaving the narrative limp and uninspiring. Kris Kristofferson's fleeting cameo and the overall unconvincing attempt to deliver a message of spirituality further dilute its impact.

Warner Bros.' Blu-ray release of "Joyful Noise" excels in technical aspects, featuring a solid 2.40:1 video transfer that delivers visually satisfying quality and a robust DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. The sound design, while competently executed, fails to effectively amplify the film’s musical intent, making it an auditory experience that doesn't quite achieve its desired effect even as background music. The supplementary content is rather sparse, with short featurettes on production issues, some deleted scenes, extended songs, and insights into Parton's contributions to the soundtrack. These additions might hold some interest for die-hard fans but do little to enhance the overall package.

In conclusion, "Joyful Noise" disappoints with its disjointed storytelling and lackluster execution, leaving a gap between its pursuit of inspiration and the actual experience it offers. While the Blu-ray presents the film in commendable technical fashion, it is short on meaningful extras that might have enriched the viewing experience. For those curious about this blend of gospel music and drama, renting is advisable over purchase, as even the most devoted churchgoers might find it more hollow than holy.