Country Strong Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Country Strong" boasts an impressive 1080p transfer that is solid across the board. The image quality is particularly noteworthy, providing lucid details and strong black levels that maintain clarity in both dimly lit bar scenes and brightly illuminated concert moments. The filmic texture, enhanced by a healthy layer of celluloid grain, is well-preserved, rendering fine details with remarkable precision. Despite a slight reddish push and occasional orange shading in flesh tones, the overall color palette is rich and vibrant. Notable depth and sharpness are evident throughout the film, even at a distance, without any significant instances of video noise or compression flaws.

The AVC encode used in this release ensures stability in fast-moving scenes, such as those featuring strobe lights and spotlights during Kelly’s concert sequences. Remarkably, these typically challenging visual elements are free from common issues like banding or blocking. Indeed, the picture quality is consistent, allowing for finely detailed textures in costumes and facial close-ups that enrich the viewing experience. Black levels remain robust and shadows deep, avoiding crushing issues that could detract from the darker scenes’ effectiveness.

In conclusion, this Blu-ray's visual treatment meets the high standards expected for a new release. The minor imperfections, such as occasional skin tone inconsistencies, do little to mar the overall quality. This release serves as a testament to Sony's commitment to high-quality transfers, offering an engaging viewing experience that aligns well with the film's dynamic atmospheres. While it may not be groundbreaking, it is definitely a reliable and appreciable representation of how modern Blu-ray transfers should be executed.

"Country Strong" delivers an immersive audio experience with its high-quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The audio presentation is exceptionally dynamic, providing a buoyant and spacious soundscape. Musical numbers, whether set in intimate bars or grand arenas, benefit greatly from a tight low-end that invigorates the track. Concert scenes come alive with plentiful crowd ambiance—applause, singing, and cheering—offering a highly engaging auditory experience. However, outside these musical pieces, surround support is minimal, emphasizing the film's dramatic and interpersonal elements. The dialogue remains clear and articulate, especially in quieter scenes, maintaining the same smoothness during both spoken and sung performances.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix focuses heavily on the musical aspect, making viewers feel as though they are watching a concert Blu-ray. Vocal performances are distributed across all five channels, while bass lines pulsate effectively through the subwoofer. Surround speakers play a critical role in amplifying the crowd's excitement during concert scenes. Dialogue is consistently delivered through the front and center channels, although some lines by Hedlund can get lost due to his mumbling—a minor issue that doesn't detract significantly from the overall experience. This audio track excels in delivering the original songs composed for the film, ensuring that fans of the soundtrack will be particularly satisfied.

Overall, "Country Strong" offers a richly immersive audio presentation that brings the concert sequences to life while maintaining clean, articulate dialogue during quieter dramatic moments. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix ensures that both music fans and viewers looking for high-quality audio will not be disappointed.

The Blu-ray release of "Country Strong" offers a substantial collection of extras that enrich the viewing experience with behind-the-scenes insights and performances. Key highlights include deleted scenes that provide additional character development, an extended performance of the song "Shake That Thing," and an alternate ending that offers a different emotional conclusion to the film. Additionally, several featurettes explore various facets of the production such as casting decisions, costume design, and songwriting, contributing to a deeper understanding of the film's creation. Music enthusiasts will appreciate the included music videos and a promotional feature for the soundtrack. Interactive features like BD-Live and movieIQ add further engagement.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scenes: Additional character-focused scenes.
• Original Ending: Alternative somber conclusion.
• Featurettes: Insights into casting, songwriting, and costumes.
• Music Videos: "Country Strong" by Gwyneth Paltrow, "A Little Bit Stronger" by Sara Evans.
• Shake That Thing - Extended Performance: Full song performance.
• Trailers: Previews of other Sony titles.
• BD-Live: Interactive content.
• movieIQ: Real-time information during playback.

"Country Strong" delivers an intriguing yet ultimately scattered exploration of the country music world, focusing on fallen superstar Kelly Canter (Gwyneth Paltrow). After a tragic stage accident leaves her battling alcoholism and depression, Kelly’s husband/manager, James (Tim McGraw), hastily arranges a comeback tour with inexperienced singer Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) and small-time, soulful Beau Hutton (Garrett Hedlund). The film's narrative is underpinned by a series of personal conflicts and budding romantic entanglements that create a blend of melodrama akin to a two-hour country music video.

At its core, "Country Strong" aims to intertwine themes of redemption and ambition but often loses its way amid its multi-faceted storyline. The film touches on the pressures of the music industry, personal demons, and the juxtaposition between raw talent and commercial interests. However, it struggles to develop its characters deeply enough to invest the audience fully. Kelly’s turbulent journey towards recovery and her complex relationships with James and Beau provide some emotional weight yet feel diluted by underdeveloped subplots involving Beau and Chiles.

The performances are solid, with Paltrow delivering a heartfelt portrayal of a star in turmoil. Hedlund's Beau, although intended to provide an authentic counterpoint to the industry's glitz, falls flat due to insufficient character development. McGraw's portrayal of James as the pragmatic manager offers a nuanced take on his dual role in Kelly's life. Musically, the film shines with well-executed performances that regrettably overshadow the narrative, reducing the drama to mere fillers between the concert sequences. "Country Strong" ultimately feels like a film created more to promote its soundtrack rather than to tell a cohesive, impactful story.

"Country Strong" presents a mixed bag that teeters between poignant storytelling and superficial delivery. The film ambitiously dives into the turbulent lives of its characters, with Gwyneth Paltrow delivering a performance that imbues a level of gravitas and depth otherwise absent in the narrative. Her portrayal stands as a solitary beacon in an ensemble cast that, while solid, generally struggles to escape the confines of clichéd and poorly fleshed-out roles. The film's music, surprisingly engaging even for those not typically inclined towards country, serves as the primary redeeming feature amidst a plot that occasionally lacks cohesion and depth.

Sony's Blu-ray release of "Country Strong" showcases the film with top-tier audiovisual quality, ensuring that every note and frame is presented with pristine clarity. The included featurettes add some value, offering glimpses behind the scenes and additional context that may enrich the viewing experience for some. However, despite the impressive technical presentation, the underlying movie often feels like a mere vehicle for its soundtrack rather than a compelling drama on its own merits. The characters' conflicting motivations and the overall safe approach to storytelling hinder its potential to resonate deeply.

In conclusion, Gwyneth Paltrow's superlative performance saves this unsure film about unsure people. The music was surprisingly good and provides an enjoyable distraction from the movie's narrative shortcomings. Sony packs this Blu-ray release with a few worthy featurettes as well as its usual top-tier A/V presentation. I recommend a rental to interested parties and a purchase to fans of the film theatrically.