Take Me Home Tonight Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Take Me Home Tonight" delivers an impressively crafted high-definition video experience that blends a nostalgic 1980s charm with modern technical proficiency. Utilizing high bitrate encoding from Fox, this 1080p/AVC encode brings forth a film-like quality that's visually pleasing and deliberate in its execution. Shot on 35mm film, the video maintains a soft, grainy aesthetic that evokes an authentic period feel—likely an intentional choice by the filmmakers. Detail rendering, especially during close-ups, is nuanced, illuminating the subtleties in facial features and textures. Colors are particularly noteworthy, with deeply saturated primaries and a vivid palette of secondary hues reminiscent of the era's fashion choices. Skin tones appear natural and rich in varying complexions across the cast.

The presentation excels in maintaining stable contrast and balanced black levels, crucial for a film largely set during nighttime. Blacks are deep without crushing shadow detail, delivering a clean and visually distinct image in low-light scenes. Moreover, there are no visible edge enhancements or digital noise reductions, ensuring the image remains naturally resolved and free from digital artifacts or compression quirks. The use of color is both vibrant and lively, albeit without garish oversaturation, with bright pastels adding to the film's dynamic aesthetic. A light veneer of grain rounds out the presentation, maintaining a consistent and faithful filmic look.

The result is a Blu-ray transfer that's admirably clear and clean, despite intentional artistic decisions that impart a softer, diffuse look to enhance its 80s setting. While this inherent softness might initially suggest a lack of sharpness, it is purposefully aligned with the period aesthetic and does not detract from the overall viewing experience. For fans of the film and those appreciative of meticulous high-definition transfers, this presentation strikes a perfect balance between nostalgic authenticity and modern visual fidelity.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on the Blu-ray presentation of "Take Me Home Tonight" masterfully captures the essence of the 80s. The standout feature is undoubtedly its immersive soundtrack, featuring a non-stop parade of hits such as "Video Killed the Radio Star," "Straight Outta Compton," and "Bette Davis Eyes." The audio quality of these iconic tracks is exceptional, with broad dynamics and a rich sound profile that often encourages you to dial up the volume just to fully experience the bass and ambiance.

Dialogue clarity is consistently maintained throughout the film, ensuring all spoken lines are easily intelligible. The surround sound channels are utilized primarily for atmospheric effects, such as lively party chatter and industrial noises during pivotal scenes like the metal-ball sequence. These elements enhance the listening experience with a robust and seamless soundstage that places effects precisely, adding to the realism of sequences where metal crunches against car fenders.

Overall, the audio mix does an excellent job of evoking an 80s vibe through its meticulously selected soundtrack while maintaining dialogue intelligibility and using surround channels effectively for ambient effects. This creates an engaging auditory experience that complements the film's nostalgic essence. Subtitles in English SDH, Spanish, and French are also included, rounding out a solid audio presentation.

The Blu-ray release of "Take Me Home Tonight" offers an engaging assortment of extras, designed to appeal to fans of the movie and 80s nostalgia lovers alike. The deleted scenes provide additional context and humor, with contributions from actors like Demetri Martin and Bob Odenkirk. The "Cast Get Together" featurette offers a candid behind-the-scenes look at the cast’s experiences during filming. The "Music Boombox" allows viewers to jump directly to movie scenes highlighting popular 80s tracks, although some may find it less appealing than a pure audio playlist. The "Take Me Home Tonight" music video adds a humorous touch, featuring cast members parodying iconic 80s films. Including the theatrical trailer and TV spots rounds off a comprehensive extras package.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scenes: Seven additional scenes with improvisations and extended sequences.
• Cast Get Together: Informal discussion among the cast with behind-the-scenes insights.
• Music Boombox: Interactive selection of 80s songs featured in the movie.
• Take Me Home Tonight Music Video: A playful music video featuring cast parodies of 80s films.
• Theatrical Trailer: Original promotional trailer.
• TV Spots: Various television advertisements.

"Take Me Home Tonight" is a nostalgic comedy that seeks to capture the feel of the 1980s, featuring a talented ensemble cast delivering laugh-out-loud performances. The film centers on Matt Franklin (Topher Grace), a recent MIT graduate frittering away his time at a dead-end mall job while his high school peers move on to successful careers. His mundane life takes a turn when his high-school crush, Tori (Teresa Palmer), re-enters the scene, prompting Matt and his buddy Barry (Dan Fogler) to devise a wild scheme to win her over. What follows is an outrageous night filled with comedic scenarios, including pretentious parties, misadventure, and life lessons.

While "Take Me Home Tonight" effectively revisits 1980s pop culture through meticulous set designs and a killer soundtrack, it falls short in originality and depth. The film is more homage than parody, attempting to emulate the charm of John Hughes and Cameron Crowe’s classics but not quite hitting the mark. Topher Grace embodies the conflicted protagonist well, echoing traits of '80s icons like Matthew Broderick, but his performance feels overly familiar. Similarly, Dan Fogler's antics as Barry are often overshadowed by a forced Jack Black-like shtick that occasionally misses the comedic mark.

The movie's plot unfolds predictably within the well-trodden paths of romantic comedies. The story is painted with broad strokes: Matt lies about working at Goldman Sachs to impress Tori, leading to various escapades and inevitable revelations. Moments of genuine sweetness between Matt and Tori are occasionally eclipsed by uninspired dialogue and a reliance on period props over storytelling. However, the film navigates its narrative with a degree of charm that makes it a marginally enjoyable watch, especially for those seeking a nostalgic ride through an idealized version of the '80s.

"Take Me Home Tonight" attempts to evoke the spirit of beloved 1980s comedies, reminiscent of films like "Superbad," but set against the backdrop of the Reagan era. The premise seemed promising, yet the film ultimately falls short of distinguishing itself from its influences. The narrative doesn't offer much novelty and feels like it struggles to find its own footing. Despite these flaws, Fox's Blu-ray releases an excellent technical experience with both stunning visual clarity and robust sound quality.

The Blu-ray presentation showcases superb audio and video fidelity, likely to please avid home theater enthusiasts. From crisp, vibrant colors that bring the '80s aesthetic to life, to clear and immersive audio tracks, viewers can expect a high-quality sensory experience. However, the special features on the Blu-ray are somewhat disappointing, lacking compelling extras such as an expected audio commentary from star Topher Grace.

In conclusion, although "Take Me Home Tonight" may not deliver a fresh comedic narrative, its Blu-ray presentation is exceptional. If you find yourself feeling nostalgic for the '80s or curious about the film’s blend of humor and retro vibes, it's a solid rental choice. The technical prowess of the Blu-ray will certainly enhance your viewing experience even if the film itself doesn't completely hit the mark.