The Company You Keep Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "The Company You Keep" presents an AVC encoded image with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, demonstrating a mastery of visual representation that both acknowledges and transcends its original filmic medium. Despite tending towards a darker presentation, the video maintains a vibrant intensity in its colors, particularly with a rich, autumnal palette that accentuates the narrative's underlying tension. Noteworthy is how the transfer retains the film’s inherent grain, preserving its cinematic texture while achieving an exceptional clarity typically associated with digital productions. This ensures that both the lush landscapes and the distinguished features of the aging cast are rendered with remarkable detail. Skintones appear naturally pinkish, enhancing realism, and while there is a slight crush in darker scenes, it does not detract from the overall visual fidelity, instead highlighting textures in low-light conditions.

The technical prowess of this Blu-ray is further manifested in its handling of blacks and shadow delineation, which are profoundly deep yet reveal subtleties in darker scenes without compromising on clarity. The balance of skin tones against this backdrop, alongside a well-maintained contrast, allows for an immersive viewing experience that is free from common high-definition transfer issues such as noise or banding. This careful calibration of visual elements supports the captivating visuals director Robert Redford aimed to achieve, making the film's transfer not only a technical success but also a tribute to its cinematic intentions.

In summary, "The Company You Keep" Blu-ray excels in video presentation, combining the best aspects of filmic texture with the precision of digital sharpness and color rendition. The execution of this transfer respects the original material's aesthetic values while leveraging modern technology to enhance the viewing experience. It is a testament to how thoughtful encoding can breathe life into the filmic image, ensuring that every frame communicates the story's mood and nuances as intended.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track accompanying "The Company You Keep" Blu-ray impresses with its detailed and balanced sound design, particularly highlighting its strengths in clarity and dialogue reproduction. Voices are delivered with an impressive depth and purity, ensuring that every word is easily discernible and placed within the soundscape with purpose, enriching the storytelling aspect of the film. Meanwhile, the scoring is handled gracefully, providing an orchestral background that complements rather than overwhelms, subtly enhancing the emotional layer of the scenes without becoming a distraction. Furthermore, the sound mix excels in bringing environmental sounds to life, from the nuanced murmurings in the background to the more pronounced effects such as police sirens or helicopter blades, which utilize the surround channels to create a more immersive experience.

However, it's notable that the audio track seems somewhat restrained, particularly in its utilization of the surround sound capabilities. This restrained use aligns with the nature of the film, which is heavily dialogue-driven with sporadic bursts of action rather than continuous high-energy sequences. The rear channels, while employed with subtlety for ambient sounds and occasional directional audio cues, do not frequently engage in a manner that substantially enhances the viewer's immersion. This results in a presentation that, while impeccably clear and well-balanced, feels front-heavy and slightly underutilizes the potential depth offered by the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio format.

Despite these minor criticisms, the overall aural experience of "The Company You Keep" on Blu-ray is commendable, effectively supporting the film's dramatic ambitions through its thoughtful audio presentation. The sound mix triumphs in articulation and atmosphere creation, albeit with a cautious approach to spatial audio dynamics. Subtitles provided in English and English SDH further augment accessibility, ensuring that all viewers can fully appreciate the intricacies of this carefully crafted audio track.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Company You Keep" provide insightful behind-the-scenes glimpses and promotional footage that add value to the main feature. "The Movement" and "The Script, Preparation, and The Cast" featurettes offer standard yet enlightening making-of content, with interviews that shed light on the actors' experiences and the production process, though they could benefit from more on-set footage. "On The Red Carpet" and the "Press Conference" segments capture moments from the film's premiere and an engaging Q&A session with the cast, highlighted by Robert Redford's presence. While some featurettes may tread familiar ground, they collectively offer a satisfying peek behind the curtain of this politically charged drama, with comments on the cast's dynamics and Redford's direction enhancing the overall context. The inclusion of the theatrical trailer rounds off a decent package of extras that will please fans and film enthusiasts alike.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Movement: A making-of featurette focusing on plot, production intent, and interviews with cast and crew.
• The Script, Preparation, and The Cast: Elaborates on actor preparations and interactions on set, with notable insights from Shia LaBeouf.
• On The Red Carpet: Coverage of the film's premiere, including Redford's introduction of the cast.
• Press Conference: A Q&A session with key cast members, offering personal takes on the film and their characters.
• Theatrical Trailer: The film's original theatrical trailer.

"The Company You Keep," directed and starred in by Robert Redford, is a film that, at its core, explores the lasting impacts of activism and radical choices made in youth, as characters grapple with their past actions amidst a gripping tale of mystery and journalistic pursuit. Redford's careful direction weaves through a dense narrative adorned with a cast including Susan Sarandon, Shia LaBeouf, and Julie Christie, among others, each delivering performances that enrich this multi-layered drama. The movie, adapted from Neil Gordon's 2003 novel, delves into the complexities of the Weather Underground movement, juxtaposing past ideals against the realities of present-day legal and moral consequences. Through the eyes of Jim Grant (Redford), a former member now living under a new identity, and young reporter Ben Shepard (LeBeouf), the narrative unfolds a meticulously plotted fugitive story, albeit one that might have benefitted from delving deeper into the controversial roots of its subject matter.

The film’s technical merits cannot be overstated, with Redford showing mastery over the crafting of suspense and introspection, bringing out nuanced performances from a stellar cast. However, some criticism has been voiced regarding the film’s cautious approach to its potentially controversial material, with certain aspects like LaBeouf’s romantic subplot feeling misplaced or underexplored. Despite these minor setbacks, "The Company You Keep" stands as a testament to the enduring power of conviction, the complexities of justice, and the inexorable shadow our past casts on our present. Its examination of radicalism versus realism, interlaced with a modern take on journalistic ethics, presents a narrative ripe with tension and moral ambiguity.

What sets this film apart is not just its exploration of generational idealism but also its commentary on media's role in shaping public perception and truth. While some may find the film's treatment of its themes too reserved, its ensemble cast elevates the material, making it a compelling watch for those interested in character-driven dramas and the intricate dance between politics and personal identity. As it navigates through false identities and secret pasts, "The Company You Keep" forces viewers to confront the weight of history and the price of ideals, all while offering a cinematic experience rich with skilled performances and a thought-provoking plot.

"The Company You Keep" Blu-ray presentation offers a mixed bag that leans towards a thoughtful, if not entirely satisfying, exploration of 1970s radicalism and its long aftermath. The film ventures into the internal landscapes of its characters, particularly highlighting how once-fiery radicals transition into life's later stages, grappling with the implications of their youthful actions. Notably, it delves into the fragmentation of idealism when confronted with the reality of aging and domestic responsibilities. Despite this rich thematic soil, the character development seems slightly underbaked, especially in rendering the more complex figures like Mimi, whose criminal past and current justification thereof aren't as sharply depicted as they might have been. This lack of depth is somewhat counterbalanced by strong performances and scenes charged with tension that sustain engagement through the narrative.

From a technical standpoint, the direction and acting are commendable. The feature, directed by Robert Redford, conjures moments of genuine intrigue and reflective quiet that resonate well beyond its runtime. However, Redford’s attempt to soften the controversial edges of his protagonists’ past activities results in a narrative that, while coherent and occasionally gripping, errs on the side of caution. Consequently, what could have been a more incisive commentary on political fervor and regret settles into the groove of a competently executed thriller that skirts around its potentially contentious core.

In conclusion, "The Company You Keep" Blu-ray presents a film that is both engaging and frustrating. It does an admirable job weaving together threads of personal and political histories but stops short of fully unraveling the complexities of its characters' radical background. While it offers a solid viewing experience highlighted by strong performances and competent direction, it ultimately leaves one pondering the more challenging film that might have been. Despite its shortcomings, it merits attention for its nuanced portrayal of ideological fervor cooled by the passage of time, making it a worthy addition to a thoughtful viewer's collection.