Kissing Jessica Stein Blu-ray Review
Score: 46
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
A nostalgic yet slightly outdated comedy with decent performances and laughs, though marred by mediocre video quality and modest audio presentation. Recommended overall.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 35
Kissing Jessica Stein’s Blu-ray video presentation is underwhelming, featuring an outdated 1080p AVC MPEG-4 transfer in 1.85:1. The image quality is soft with middling contrast and milky blacks, while colors appear drab and faded. Despite the lack of major artifacts, the overall result is more akin to a high-quality upconvert than true HD.
Audio: 55
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for 'Kissing Jessica Stein' delivers clear dialogue and pleasing range for the score, but offers minimal immersion and ambiance, with limited surround use. The mix suits the film's intimate, dialogue-driven nature without any technical issues or noticeable artifacts.
Extra: 46
20th Century Fox presents a solid extras package for 'Kissing Jessica Stein,' with engaging deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and rich commentaries. The director's track delves into indie filmmaking logistics, while the stars' track offers vibrant anecdotes and origins. All supplements are in standard definition.
Movie: 56
"Kissing Jessica Stein" tackles the nuances of love and identity with charm and sincerity, despite being less provocative today. Featuring strong performances from Westfeldt and Juergensen, its thoughtful examination of relationships is somewhat marred by clichéd rom-com elements and outdated humor, but it remains an enjoyable, character-driven indie film.
Video: 35
The Blu-ray presentation of "Kissing Jessica Stein" arrives courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, employing an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, this outdated master yields a rather subpar visual experience. The overall sharpness is inconsistent, offering a generally soft image that lacks the detailed clarity one expects from modern HD presentations. Interior shots suffer due to middling contrast, further contributing to a murky and drab appearance that particularly undermines dark scenes where blacks lean towards a milky gray.
Despite these shortcomings, the color representation is natural, though notably subdued, lacking vibrant hues with only occasional pops of red providing any significant visual interest. Wide shots fail to deliver depth, appearing indistinct and sometimes resembling high-quality upconverts rather than genuine HD imagery. Grain is present but has a fuzzy and noisy quality, detracting from the film's visual aesthetic. Fortunately, the transfer is free from major artifacts and overt digital manipulation, yet edge enhancement around actors and objects is noticeable, adding to the processed feel.
In summary, while "Kissing Jessica Stein" on Blu-ray does offer a modest improvement over standard definition, it falls short of providing a truly satisfying HD experience. The transfer appears to stem from an old master that does little justice to the film's visual potential, making this release merely adequate rather than exceptional.
Audio: 55
The audio presentation of "Kissing Jessica Stein" on Blu Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. While the fidelity is commendable, the film's dialogue-driven nature means there's minimal opportunity for immersive surround sound experiences. Ambient environmental sounds and scenes with groups of people provide limited chances for background activity, but the bulk of the film remains front-channel focused. The mix is clean, without any notable artifacts such as crackles, pops, or hissing, ensuring a smooth listening experience.
Presented with an English DTS-HD MA 5.1 track, the audio prioritizes dialogue, which comes through clearly albeit with the occasional thinness in some speech. The soundscape is relatively restrained, offering a rather small and flat sense of space. Minimal ambiance and directionality are present, limited mainly to subtle office sounds, traffic, and sparse atmospheric effects in the rear channels. The movie’s score and song selections, however, perform admirably within this mix, delivering pleasing range and good separation.
In essence, while technically competent and befitting its romcom genre, the audio track for "Kissing Jessica Stein" on Blu Ray is more functional than impressive. It serves the low-budget sensibilities by providing clear dialogue and occasional ambient effects but lacks a robust immersive quality. The mix fits the content well but does not go beyond what is necessary for this type of film.
Extras: 46
The Blu-ray extras for "Kissing Jessica Stein" offer a comprehensive and insightful journey into the film's creation. Fuelled by both technical expertise and personal anecdotes, the special features enhance the viewer’s understanding of the film's production. Noteworthy content includes two audio commentaries—one with Director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and Cinematographer Lawrence Sher, which is highly technical and focuses on logistics, and another with stars/writers Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt, which brings a compelling narrative filled with trivia about turning a play into a film. The deleted scenes showcase additional character moments while maintaining the film’s humor and pacing. The insightful but somewhat promotional featurette revisits key locations and provides behind-the-scenes perspectives. All supplementary materials are presented in standard definition.
Extras included in this disc:
- Audio Commentary by Director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and Cinematographer Lawrence Sher: Technical insights and logistics.
- Audio Commentary by Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt: Engaging narrative with origin insights and trivia.
- Deleted Scenes: Additional character moments and outtakes.
- Featurette: Interviews and on-location insights with actors.
- Theatrical Trailer: The movie's trailer.
Movie: 56
"Kissing Jessica Stein" stands as an indie romcom tackling the universal trials of intimacy with a refreshing twist on conventional formulas. Debuting in a cultural climate less accepting of same-sex relationships, the film's once-provocative premise of a heterosexual woman exploring a relationship with another woman now feels somewhat dated. Nonetheless, it’s buoyed by sincere writing and compelling performances from Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen. The story follows Jessica Stein, a neurotic yet intelligent copy-editor, who, disillusioned by her romantic failures with men, responds to a personal ad from Helen, a bisexual art gallery owner. Their ensuing relationship is marked by Jessica's palpable apprehensions and Helen’s more assured demeanor, providing a humorous and thoughtful exploration of love and sexuality.
While "Kissing Jessica Stein" successfully navigates its characters' emotional landscapes, the film occasionally falls into predictable romcom clichés, such as the overbearing Jewish mother pushing heterosexual matches and the endearing but complicated ex-boyfriend boss. Despite these familiar tropes, the film’s insightful subplots, particularly Jessica’s tentative steps into her new romantic adventure, anchor the narrative. There's an underlying sanguine tone suggesting that entering a gay relationship is devoid of significant struggle, which might oversimplify the real challenges faced by many in the LGBTQ+ community.
The film's charm also lies in its blend of awkward comedy and genuine chemistry between Westfeldt and Juergensen. Their dynamic oscillates between strain and tenderness, enriched by the nuanced portrayal of their individual growth. Scott Cohen’s layered performance as Josh also adds depth. Despite some rough patches and dated elements, "Kissing Jessica Stein" offers a thoughtful, if not entirely groundbreaking, examination of love and happiness in contemporary urban life. The movie’s strength lies in its portrayal of the intricate dance of finding intimacy amidst the complexities of human sexuality.
Total: 46
"Kissing Jessica Stein" is a charming and light-hearted romantic comedy that, while not groundbreaking in its exploration of sexuality, remains an entertaining watch. The performances by the cast are engaging and inject a breezy energy into the film, balancing out some of its script's more superficial treatments of complex issues. Although it may feel slightly dated given contemporary attitudes towards LGBTQ+ themes, the film still delivers genuine humor and thoughtful moments.
The Blu-ray release, however, falls short in certain technical aspects. The video quality, sourced from an older transfer, is mediocre at best, lacking the sharpness and clarity expected from modern high-definition standards. The audio mix, though adequate for the film's modest demands, doesn't offer much in terms of immersive experience. Despite these shortcomings, the disc is buoyed by valuable bonus content, including two insightful commentaries and some entertaining deleted scenes.
In conclusion, "Kissing Jessica Stein" may be best appreciated as a historical piece that captures a particular moment in the portrayal of queer relationships in cinema. While the technical quality of this Blu-ray edition leaves something to be desired, the film's endearing qualities and added supplementary materials provide enough merit to make it a recommended watch for those interested in romantic comedies with a unique perspective.
Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey KauffmanRead review here
Video: 60
Colors on the other hand appear natural, if not overly vivid, and in fact the entire appearance here is surprisingly drab a lot of the time....
Audio: 80
While Kissing Jessica Stein's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 offers very good fidelity, there's simply not much opportunity for any convincing immersion here, other than ambient environmental sounds...
Extras: 60
Audio Commentary by Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt is for my money the better of the two commentaries on the disc, with a good, bantering discussion between the two stars and co-writers who...
Movie: 60
Seeing the film now in the cold, clear light of the recent glut of states striking down laws banning gay marriage and a general loosening of strictures against those with so-called "alternative" lifestyles,...
Total: 60
While there's a certain "sitcom" feeling to a lot of Kissing Jessica Stein, what ultimately may keep contemporary audiences from enjoying the film as anything other than a slight diversion is the fact...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 40
Edge enhancement is also visible around actors and objects in several shots, and the transfer has a faintly processed look to it....
Audio: 60
This is a dialogue driven film, and thankfully all of the conversations are preserved nicely, though some speech can sound a little thin....
Extras: 40
The pair discuss the evolution of the project and characters, and while this piece veers toward promotional fluff, there are some decent insights....
Movie: 60
Thankfully, however, the writers make this clear dilemma a crucial part of the plot, examining the sometimes blurred line between love and sexuality -- all with a generous helping of awkward comedy....
Total: 60
From a technical perspective, this isn't the strongest disc, but the film itself and supplements are very solid....
Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Actors: Jennifer Westfeldt, Heather Juergensen, Tovah Feldshuh
PlotJessica Stein is a successful yet neurotic journalist living in New York City, disillusioned with her dating experiences. She's spurred into trying something new when she stumbles upon a personal ad from Helen Cooper, a woman also struggling to find meaningful relationships with men. Despite initial hesitation and awkwardness, Jessica decides to take a chance and meets Helen for a date. To her surprise, they share a deep connection and find themselves increasingly intrigued by the possibilities of a relationship that defies their previous romantic norms.
As Jessica and Helen navigate their evolving bond, they face various challenges, not only adjusting to their new romantic dynamics but also dealing with societal expectations and their own insecurities. While Jessica grapples with her identity and the reactions of her friends and family, Helen must reconcile her newfound feelings with her more fluid approach to life and love. Their journey explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the complexities of modern relationships, leading them down a path neither had anticipated, full of emotional growth and unexpected turns.
Writers: Heather Juergensen, Jennifer Westfeldt
Release Date: 05 Apr 2002
Runtime: 97 min
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English