Love the Coopers Blu-ray Review

"Love the Coopers" is presented on Blu-ray by Lionsgate Films with a well-executed AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. This digitally shot film, using the Arri Alexa XT, delivers a visually appealing experience suitable for a holiday-themed movie. The presentation features vibrant and colorful imagery with commendably resolved details, such as snowstorms and frosty Christmas lights. Close-ups exhibit fine detail, capturing elements like the texture of scarves and Christmas sweaters. The color grading introduces some slate gray and blue tones, imparting a frigid ambiance to certain scenes while slightly diminishing detail levels on occasion. Occasionally, CGI effects are used, such as a scene where a character shatters upon a dramatic revelation.

The overall image boasts excellent contrast and black levels, ensuring a sharp and well-defined visual look. The 2.40:1 1080p transfer maintains a vibrant palette reflective of the holiday season, with deep greens, twinkly lights, robust primaries, navy blues, and accurate flesh tones. The digital cinematography yields strong detail levels without introducing video noise or other visual distractions. Black levels are notably inky, offering robust shadow separation and depth. While this transfer may not be considered reference quality, it provides an enjoyable viewing experience that effectively complements the film's festive atmosphere.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on "Love the Coopers" delivers a reliable and immersive auditory experience, highlighting the film's holiday ambiance effectively. Key scenes, such as those set in Ruby's restaurant and the bustling mall during last-minute Christmas shopping, utilize discrete channels to envelop the viewer in ambient sounds, enhancing the sense of place. Outdoor sequences similarly benefit from well-placed environmental sounds, adding depth and realism to the auditory landscape. Dialogue clarity is exceptional and consistently well-prioritized, ensuring that every spoken word is cleanly presented without any technical issues.

Nick Urata's score and Steve Martin's narration are both standout elements of this audio track, filling quieter moments with warmth and charm while blending seamlessly into the more dynamic sequences. The narration notably strikes a balance that allows background elements to be perceptible without being overpowering. Although the track heavily favors the front and center channels, with limited use of immersive surround sound, the overall imaging and balance are competently managed. Volume levels are meticulously calibrated, mitigating any need for manual adjustments during playback. In essence, while not groundbreaking or demo-worthy, this audio presentation proficiently supports the film's seasonal feel, augmenting the visual storytelling with well-integrated sound.

The extras on the Blu-ray of "Love the Coopers" offer a modest yet enjoyable assortment of behind-the-scenes content. Primarily, these special features encompass standard Electronic Press Kit (EPK) materials, providing brief insights into the production. Key highlights include interviews with the cast and crew, showcasing their experiences during filming without delving too deeply into unique or groundbreaking details. Additionally, viewers can enjoy short vignettes like "Rags the Dog," which offers a charming profile of the film’s canine star, and "Fun on Set," featuring light-hearted interactions with the young actors. Music enthusiasts will also appreciate the inclusion of the music video by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant.

Extras included in this disc:

• Making The Coopers: Standard issue EPK with cast and crew interviews.
• Rags the Dog: Brief profile of the film's lovable canine character.
• Fun on Set: Short interview segment with the film's children.
• Music Video by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant: 'The Light of Christmas Day' music video.

"Love the Coopers" endeavors to blend family drama with holiday cheer, evoking comparisons to other ensemble films like "The Family Stone" and "Love Actually." Directed by Jessie Nelson, and written by Steven Rogers, the film features an impressive cast including Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde, and Amanda Seyfried. Nevertheless, it stumbles over a screenplay that’s overstuffed with characters and simultaneously unfolding subplots that dilute emotional depth. The narrative ostensibly revolves around the impending breakup of the Coopers' marriage, hidden from their children for one last perfect Christmas. The film also touches on various individual disappointments and disconnected ambitions, highlighting characters' struggles with authenticity and perfection during the holidays.

The film's execution is further marred by its structural choice to have Rags, the family dog voiced by Steve Martin, narrate the story. While intended to fill in narrative gaps, this device exacerbates the film's lack of coherence and focus. Its reliance on clichéd character molds and predictable plot beats turns potentially poignant moments into trite, sentimental sequences. For instance, Eleanor’s airport encounter with soldier Joe echoes a standard romantic trope diminished by its predictability. Similarly, emotional revelations come across as convenient rather than earned, such as Officer Williams (Anthony Mackie) opening up to Emma (Marisa Tomei) about his long-secreted homosexuality.

Despite these shortcomings, there are occasionally compelling moments. Diane Keaton and John Goodman bring a credible emotional weight to their roles, capturing the undercurrents of sadness and nostalgia that haunt the season. The interaction between Alan Arkin's character Bucky and waitress Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) offers genuine human connections often lacking in the rest of the film. However, these glimpses of potential are overshadowed by an overall failure to delve deeply into its characters’ psyches or provide meaningful resolutions, leaving "Love the Coopers" a forgettable entry in an overloaded genre.

"Love the Coopers" boasts a remarkably talented ensemble cast that includes Alan Arkin, Diane Keaton, and John Goodman, among others. Despite this impressive assembly of talent, the film ultimately underdelivers, suffering from a script that oscillates between being underwritten and overwritten. The narrative is marred by clichés and predictable plot points that weigh heavily on its potential, leaving the film feeling more like a missed opportunity than a holiday classic.

Lionsgate’s Blu-ray release of "Love the Coopers" offers a commendable audiovisual presentation. The video quality is sharp, with a clean and crisp image that highlights the film's well-executed cinematography and production design. The sound quality is equally noteworthy, providing clear dialogue and immersive ambient sounds that enhance the viewing experience. However, the supplementary features are lackluster and fail to add substantial value to the package.

In conclusion, "Love the Coopers" is a film with intermittent moments of smart writing and strong performances, but it ultimately falls flat due to its reliance on tired tropes and an uneven script. For fans of the cast, it may be worth a rental viewing. Those considering adding it to their collection can rest assured of its technical merits on Blu-ray, but might find it lacking in replay value.