Before and After Blu-ray Review

Mill Creek Entertainment’s Blu-ray release of "Before and After" delivers a fundamentally sound 1080p transfer that stands out as one of their best efforts. The image retains a commendable natural layer of film grain, consistent from the cold, snowy, gray opening shots through to the end. This adherence to film-based textures ensures a detailed and even portrayal of various elements, from the heavy clothing textures, natural facial lines and creases, to the assorted surfaces within the Ryan household or courtroom settings. The image boasts excellent color fidelity, handling the dreary winter exteriors, warm wooden hues of law offices, and the tastefully colorful interiors of the Ryan home with equal precision and realism.

The 1.85:1 original theatrical aspect ratio is preserved, enhancing the visual authenticity of this cinematic piece. The transfer manages black levels well, maintaining proper depth without crushing details, and flesh tones are consistently accurate throughout. Although occasional light speckles appear, the print remains impressively clean and free of significant wear-and-tear. The new transfer has avoided any major pitfalls such as excess banding or blocking, ensuring a true-to-film experience. Despite the film's underlying cold and subdued color palette, there are no undue brightness boosts, preserving the director's intended visual atmosphere. This Blu-ray should indeed be the template for future Mill Creek 1990s catalog transfers, setting a new standard for their budget-friendly releases.

This meticulous effort in remastering "Before and After" from its undistinguished DVD past to a visually impressive Blu-ray presentation undeniably exceeds expectations, especially for a low-budget title. Mill Creek's decision to compartmentalize the film into a dozen chapter stops on this BD-25 disc further enhances the viewing experience by allowing easy navigation through the film's engaging narrative. This release is a pleasant surprise for fans and collectors, offering a DVD to Blu-ray transition that does justice to the film's aesthetic intentions.

Mill Creek's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 presentation on the "Before and After" Blu-ray offers a faithful yet somewhat subdued auditory experience. While it's evident that the soundtrack isn't designed to be a system-stretching spectacle, the audio mix does a commendable job adhering to the original source. Dialogue is crisp and clear, consistently delivered through the center channel, ensuring a high level of intelligibility. Surround channels aren't heavily utilized but do provide subtle enhancements like ambient noises — passing cars and bustling public spaces — which contribute to the immersive environment.

The audio's integration with Howard Shore's score showcases solid treatment of strings and woodwinds, enhancing the emotional depth without overpowering the dialogue. The mix leans towards a traditional Dolby Stereo Surround feel, rather than fully exploiting the multi-channel potential of DTS-HD MA 5.1. Nevertheless, the title music and other tracks display smooth, natural spacing with positive clarity. One drawback for purists might be Mill Creek's choice to use all block letters for subtitles instead of conventional sentence-style formatting, which can be a minor distraction.

Overall, while "Before and After" may not push the limits of a high-fidelity audio system, it delivers a stable and clear presentation befitting the film's dialogue-driven nature. This mix assures that both spoken words and musical elements are rendered with cinematic clarity, suitable for a home viewing environment.

The Blu-ray release of "Before and After" is modest in its offerings of supplemental material, providing just a singular extra feature. The trailer is presented in a standard full-frame format at 480i resolution, which may be disappointing for enthusiasts hoping for a richer set of behind-the-scenes content or additional insights into the filmmaking process. While the quality of the film itself might hold up, the extras do not offer much to enhance or deepen the viewing experience beyond what is already available in the main feature.

Extras included in this disc:

• Theatrical Trailer: Original movie trailer presented in 480i full-frame, providing a preview of the film as it was originally marketed.

"Before and After," directed by Barbet Schroeder, showcases his most mainstream American endeavor, skillfully exploring a turbulent family drama. The plot revolves around the Ryan family – Ben (Liam Neeson), Carolyn (Meryl Streep), their son Jacob (Edward Furlong), and daughter Judith (Julia Weldon) – who are thrust into chaos due to a murder accusation against Jacob. The film brutally examines the disintegration of a seemingly perfect family structure, diving deep into themes of fear, truth, and the extent to which familial bonds are tested under duress.

The narrative’s strength lies in its compellingly paced unfolding of events and its synergy between the procedural and emotional elements. Schroeder’s direction maintains an engrossing tempo, despite the occasional resorting to melodramatic tropes. Neeson, embodying a desperate father willing to undermine the law to protect his son, and Streep, as a mother battling her ethical dilemmas, deliver powerhouse performances that elevate the material beyond basic dramatic constructs. Their dynamic is a particularly insightful portrayal of diverging parental instincts in a crisis. Furlong’s often criticized stoic performance can be seen as a deliberate choice, adding to the character's withdrawn and conflicted state.

Supporting roles further strengthen the film's infrastructure. Alfred Molina stands out as a formidable attorney whose approach clashes markedly with the moral compass of Streep's character, adding layers to the dilemma faced by the Ryans. While the script has its share of clichéd moments, it captures the harrowing consequences of sudden adversity on family dynamics with emotional authenticity.

"Before and After" effectively balances its marriage of murder mystery and family tragedy, resulting in a nuanced examination of guilt, innocence, and resilience in the face of unforeseeable catastrophe. Despite some critical backlash, it remains a gripping character study amplified by Schroeder's adept direction and its stellar cast performances.

Mill Creek's Blu-ray release of "Before and After" offers a technically proficient presentation of a somewhat underappreciated drama. The story centers on a young boy's involvement in the death of his girlfriend, his family's torment over the facts, and the morally complex decisions they must make. Despite certain weaknesses, including stretches of clichéd dialogue and a lackluster performance by Edward Furlong, the film generally holds audience interest with its strong performances from Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson and an engaging, if not entirely gripping, narrative.

On the technical side, Mill Creek has outdone itself compared to previous releases. The video transfer is clean and detailed, presenting rich color accuracy and depth, while the audio track boasts clarity and dynamic range, providing an immersive viewing experience. However, the absence of any supplemental material, such as behind-the-scenes features or director commentary, is a notable drawback. Fans might find this disappointing but the high quality of both video and audio helps somewhat mitigate this shortfall.

In conclusion, "Before and After" is a film worth revisiting, especially for fans of Streep and Neeson. It navigates through complex family dynamics and moral quandaries with enough engagement to warrant attention. While the presentation may lack in extras, the Blu-ray’s high-quality technical presentation combined with its low price makes it easy to recommend. Overall, this release is a commendable effort by Mill Creek and a worthwhile addition to any drama enthusiast’s collection.