The Boy Downstairs Blu-ray Review

"The Boy Downstairs" is presented on Blu-ray by MVD Visual and FilmRise with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Despite a lack of extensive technical data, this transfer is competent, capturing the finer nuances of New York City's urban landscapes. The collaboration between Brooks and cinematographer Stefan Weinberger ensures that the film's plethora of close-ups radiates excellent detail and fine levels of texture. However, occasional inconsistencies in contrast and brightness lead to a faint haziness in some well-lit scenes. The color palette, while generally retaining a natural appearance, can appear slightly washed out at times.

While the digital material appears typically clean, the Blu-ray suffers from notable technical shortcomings such as banding and artifacting. Dense blacks are underwhelming, resulting in shadowy areas plagued by DVD-level blocking and chunky textures. However, the film’s overall bright and vivid imagery somewhat compensates for these issues, achieving near-clipping high contrast levels that enhance detail resolution. The well-resolved close-ups effectively display textural qualities rich in detail. While the indie aesthetic introduces slight imperfections, the visuals breathe life into New York’s streetscapes, restaurants, and storefronts, creating an attractively textured, albeit slightly pale, visual experience.

The audio presentation of "The Boy Downstairs" on Blu-ray, released by FilmRise, adheres to the label's tradition of offering only lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. This decision might be more contentious for a dramedy compared to their typical documentary releases. The 5.1 surround track sporadically comes to life during city scenes, with ambient clatter and David Buckley's winsome score utilizing the side and rear channels. However, the predominant dialogue-heavy nature of the film keeps most of the audio anchored firmly in the front and center channels. Despite the fidelity being generally acceptable, the lossy format may render the low-end somewhat underwhelming.

Although primarily dialog-driven, the 5.1 mix manages to deliver a surprisingly vibrant cityscape. The center channel effectively maintains clear and consistent dialogue delivery, ensuring performances are presented without issue. Background ambiance significantly contributes to creating an immersive atmosphere; traffic sounds, music from local diners and coffee shops, and even subtle echoes within apartment settings enhance the listener's experience. These sound effects effectively utilize positional speakers, injecting unexpected liveliness into the overall audio presentation.

The Blu Ray extras for "The Boy Downstairs" offer a modest but engaging selection that enhances the viewing experience. The Behind the Scenes Photo Slideshow is a brisk, auto-advancing gallery that includes a variety of unseen behind-the-scenes images and moves along at a good pace—using your pause button will be essential if you wish to dwell on any specific picture. The Theatrical Trailer provides an additional glimpse into the film's essence, presented in high definition for maximum visual clarity. Overall, while limited, the extras afford some insightful looks behind the curtain of this charming film.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes Photo Slideshow: An auto-advancing gallery of behind-the-scenes images.
• Theatrical Trailer: A high-definition preview trailer of the film.

"The Boy Downstairs" provides an intriguing yet ultimately uneven exploration of modern romance through the lives of its protagonists, Diana (Zosia Mamet) and Ben (Matthew Shear). Writer-director Sophie Brooks employs a non-linear storytelling technique, initially guiding viewers with subtitles like "three years earlier" or "four years later," which soon give way to a more abstract presentation of various timelines. This approach, while adding a layer of complexity and requiring the audience to piece together the puzzle themselves, doesn't entirely hide the film's conventional plot elements. The narrative centers on the happenstance that Diana, in her return from travels, now resides in the same building as her ex-boyfriend Ben, igniting a series of comedic and awkward interactions.

Despite these structural choices, "The Boy Downstairs" doesn't stray far from romantic comedy tropes and at times falls prey to them, noted for its copious "will they/won’t they" moments that swing between endearing and exasperating. Mamet charms with her gentle awkwardness, providing the film with an amiable and relatable lead. Her chemistry with Shear is undeniable, both encapsulating the indie tone with goofy sarcasm and tender moments. However, their apparent financial ease—a novelist and a musician comfortably living in New York—adds an element of unreality to the depiction of millennial life.

Brooks' screenplay offers genuine, if at times clichéd, reflections on relationships and emotional growth. The film’s pacing can be languid, filled with pockets of "dead air" during scenes lacking narrative drive. Supporting characters, such as Diana Irvine's subplot, contribute little to the story’s progression, while Sarah Ramos's exaggerated antagonism feels out of place. Nonetheless, Mamet’s performance injects enough charm to sustain viewer interest, portraying Diana's uncertainty with a delicate, nuanced touch. The storyline of two hesitant individuals finding their way back to each other is compelling enough to root for, even when the surrounding material feels slightly fantastical and disconnected from real-world struggles.

"The Boy Downstairs" on Blu-ray offers a compelling yet subtly nuanced viewing experience, underscored by strong performances and occasionally witty dialogue. Zosia Mamet shines as the lead, effectively carrying the soft romantic material with her quirky yet relatable portrayal. Matthew Shear complements her well, infusing his character with an earnest nerdiness that creates a believable chemistry between the two. Director Sophie Brooks manages to craft a generally enjoyable film despite the narrative's occasional lack of clear purpose.

Brooks’ deconstructionist approach to storytelling is commendable but perhaps could have benefited from a bolder execution, particularly with respect to the timeframes involved. Nevertheless, the writing is slyly funny at times, adding an off-kilter charm to the romantic comedy genre. On the technical side, FilmRise's Blu-ray release delivers visually, with generally solid video quality that enhances the viewing experience. However, the audio offering remains lossy, indicating room for improvement in delivering a truly immersive experience.

In conclusion, while "The Boy Downstairs" may not revolutionize the romantic comedy genre, it presents an amiable and quirky alternative that should appeal to fans of offbeat love stories. Mamet and Shear’s performances, combined with Brooks' direction, create a film that's worth watching despite some minor flaws. The Blu-ray release is passable in terms of video quality but could significantly benefit from an upgrade in audio fidelity. For those who appreciate subtly charming romantic comedies, this film is a worthwhile addition to their collection.