The Five-Year Engagement Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray video presentation of "The Five-Year Engagement" is a commendable high-definition transfer with consistently pleasing visual quality typical of newer releases. The 1080p/AVC-encoded video boasts vibrant and natural color saturation, although there are sequences employing a sepia tone to align with the film’s thematic elements. These moments occasionally imbue fleshtones with a bronzy hue but maintain harmony with the overall visual tapestry. The contrast is precisely balanced, delivering deep blacks and crisply delineated images that enhance the film's dimensionality. The video display is exceptionally clean, free of compression errors and video anomalies.

Javier Aguirresarobe's cinematography varies from crisp and colorful to occasionally washed out, particularly in scenes set in Michigan. A warm, vivid aesthetic marks the film's early scenes, with a focus on strong detail and resolved textures. As the narrative progresses and the characters' relationship deteriorates, colors become more subdued, and black levels show minor inconsistencies. Despite these fluctuations, the overall detail remains robust, with clean edge definition and a delicate grain structure. Notably, the Blu-ray maintains high visual integrity in both the theatrical and extended cuts without any noticeable quality discrepancies.

Alias flaws are minimal, appearing only sporadically (notably at 25:20, 47:15, and 1:51:22), while banding, artifacts, and noise are effectively absent. The encode refrains from using edge enhancement or Digital Noise Reduction (DNR), preserving the film’s original texture. While there could be minor improvements in image sharpness, the transfer is cavy pleasingly vibrant and consistent, providing a clean and immersive viewing experience.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track for "The Five-Year Engagement" delivers a serviceable but unremarkable audio presentation typical of the romantic comedy genre. The mix is predominantly front-heavy, with limited engagement from the rear speakers, resulting in a sound field where the center channel handles most of the dialogue. The soundtrack, comprising familiar classics and sweet melodies, effectively fills the room; however, this is one of the few aspects utilizing the surround potential adequately. Low-end support is minimal, with restrained LFE channel use, though dynamics and interior acoustics remain commendable. Dialogue is bright, clear, and perfectly intelligible, capturing the essence of conversations, arguments, and passionate moments central to the narrative.

While the audio mix is adequately balanced, it does exhibit a notably quiet nature, requiring an upward adjustment of the master volume to reach a desired listening level. This adjustment does not introduce any distortion, but its necessity is worth noting. Despite its restrained presentation, the track does feature moments where environmental sounds heighten the immersion. For instance, an outdoor scene in a forest downpour vividly places listeners amidst the rain and thunder, while a cocktail party ambiance convincingly situates pretentious guests around the listener. However, these moments are dispersed sparsely throughout the film. Overall, while the track corroborates the film's ambience through its integral use of music to convey emotions dynamically through multiple channels, it does not include many scenes that qualify as demo-worthy audio experiences.

The extras included in the Blu-ray for "The Five-Year Engagement" offer a comprehensive and amusing peek behind the scenes. The feature commentary, spearheaded by Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel, warms up into an engaging and humorous discussion, particularly appealing to fans of Segel and Chris Pratt. The Making Of featurettes provide detailed insight into the film's production processes, from onset dynamics to location shoots. Deleted and alternate scenes packed with improvisation and extended humor offer further enjoyment for viewers. Additionally, the gag reel and multiple "O-Rama" segments augment the comedic value of the disc, alongside unique features like "Gonorrhea Trouble" and the "Top Chef" faux appearance, adding layers of behind-the-camera fun.

Extras included in this disc:

• Feature Commentary: Nicholas Stoller, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, Rodney Rothman
• Making of The Five-Year Engagement: Lengthy production overview
• Michigan: 28-minute featurette
• California: 13-minute featurette
• Gastrocule: Deleted sequence making-of
• Turkey: Deleted scene making-of
• Deleted scenes: 12 scenes
• Alternate/Extended scenes: 19 scenes
• Gag reel: On-set bloopers
• Line-O-Rama: Alternate takes
• Experiment-O-Rama: Sociology experiment pitches
• Weird Winton: Character fun with Rhys Ifans
• Gonorrhea Trouble: Violet's parents' backstory
• Top Chef: Alex Eilhauer: Faux appearance on Top Chef
• My Scenes Bookmark feature
• pocket BLU
• BD-Live
• Bonus DVD
• Digital Copy
• Ultraviolet Digital Copy

"The Five-Year Engagement" presents a refreshingly honest look at what happens after the typical rom-com fade-to-black ending. Directed by Nicholas Stoller and featuring Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, the film begins with an idyllic proposal that launches into a series of relatable challenges that threaten to derail their nuptials. Tom (Segel) is a successful chef who sacrifices his dream job to support Violet’s (Blunt) career move to Michigan, only to find himself in an unfulfilling rut. As they navigate the complexities of long-term commitment, the film anchors itself in real-life problems and avoids cliches, depicting the often unspoken trials couples face.

The film’s strongest moments shine in the opening acts with hilariously heartfelt scenes powered by engaging chemistry between Segel and Blunt. However, it struggles as it progresses, meandering through a mix of tones and lacking the consistent comedic drive one might expect from its notable creators, including producer Judd Apatow. While side characters like Chris Pratt and Alison Brie inject memorable humor, much of the supporting cast fails to make a lasting impression. An extended runtime and superfluous subplots further dampen the pacing, making the middle section feel unnecessarily protracted.

Despite its flaws, "The Five-Year Engagement" remains a cut above typical romantic comedies by blending genuine emotional depth with strong comedic elements. While its prolonged engagement narrative can feel repetitive, the film’s honesty and mature approach to love and relationships are commendable. Segel and Blunt’s performances carry the film through its rough patches, offering enough charm and relatability to make it a worthwhile viewing experience.

"The Five-Year Engagement" is a romantic comedy that showcases the reality of modern relationships, blending humor, passion, and an element of relatability. Despite its promising start, the film tends to lose momentum as it progresses, oscillating between moments of genuine sparkle and more cumbersome stretches. This reflects the nuanced storytelling abilities of Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel, who craft a narrative that is both entertaining and grounded in real-life experiences. Although the film's protracted runtime and odd subplot can drag at times, these minor setbacks are balanced by strong performances and well-written dialogue that maintain viewer engagement.

Universal's Blu-ray release of "The Five-Year Engagement" presents a mixed bag of technical qualities. The video transfer stands out, with clear, vibrant visuals that do justice to the film's aesthetic. On the other hand, the DTS-HD Master Audio track falls short of expectations, occasionally lacking the immersive sound experience anticipated from a high-definition release. Despite this, the Blu-ray package redeems itself with an impressive selection of supplemental features totaling over 175 minutes, excluding the commentary track. This extensive collection will particularly appeal to dedicated fans of the movie, offering deeper insights into its production.

In conclusion, "The Five-Year Engagement" excels in areas crucial to romantic comedies: it is heartfelt, humorous, and thoughtfully reflective of real relationships. While it may have a few missteps in pacing and audio quality, its visual presentation and substantive extras make it a worthwhile addition to one's collection. For those who appreciate a blend of comedy and romance infused with realism, this film stands out as one of the more memorable offerings in its genre for the year.