Love Happens Blu-ray Review

"Love Happens" is presented with a 1080p/VC-1 transfer, offering a generally attractive visual experience that aligns well with other sunlit romantic dramas. The film's aesthetics are most compelling in scenes set in Eloise's flower shop, where rich, vibrant colors, healthy skin tones, deep blacks, and fine details are spectacularly rendered. The transfer meticulously captures errant petals and textured knickknacks, with realistic depth enhancing the overall visual appeal. These qualities extend throughout the film, imbuing settings such as Dr. Ryan's upscale hotel and his outdoor excursions with consistent quality. Importantly, the image integrity remains largely free from artifacting, noise, edge enhancement, aliasing, DNR, or significant crush issues.

However, the presentation isn't without its caveats. While skin tones maintain a subtle orange hint throughout, fine object detail and dimensionality remain superb. Yet, detracting elements include subpar delineation, instances of banding and noise, light flickering, and a purple haze in the seminar scenes caused by the lighting setup. These scenes make objects look like a "nuclear glowing Grimace," adding an unintentional distraction. Further, a tiny veneer of edge enhancement is occasionally detectable. Although a handful of CG inserts are noticeable and some details soften periodically—attributable to DoP Eric Alan Edwards' artistic choices—these issues don't significantly mar the film's admirable transfer, making it appealing to genre enthusiasts.

Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track for "Love Happens" is a nuanced audio presentation that slightly overachieves in the context of a romantic drama. Dialogue is pristinely clear and meticulously prioritized, ensuring intelligibility whether delivered through a microphone in a large hall or muttered in a small conference room. This ensures that every word resonates with clarity, supported mostly by the front speakers. Directional effects, while limited, are well-crafted and precise, contributing to a polished soundscape.

The rear speakers are adeptly utilized for Christopher Young's dynamic score and subtle ambient noises, such as wind and occasional city sounds, amplifying the immersive quality of the track. These environmental elements, although not exceptionally abundant or accurate to a bustling cityscape like Seattle, still add a layer of realism uncommon for the genre. While Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) are modest, they lend important weight during key musical moments, enriching the overall audio experience.

In summary, "Love Happens" boasts an unexpectedly engaging DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that capitalizes on excellent dialogue clarity, thoughtful use of environmental sounds, and a balanced musical backbone. This results in a commendable auditory presentation that complements and enhances the film's narrative without overwhelming it.

The Blu-ray edition of "Love Happens" offers a limited array of special features that ultimately fall short of enhancing the overall viewing experience. The disc includes an audio commentary by director Brandon Camp, producer Mike Thompson, and executive producer Richard Solomon, which disappointingly centers on the technical aspects rather than the film's narrative or character development, delivered in a monotonous tone that lacks engagement. Additionally, six deleted scenes, while only adding minor depth to certain characters, mainly consist of forgettable content that was rightly removed. The featurette "Giving Romance a New Look" provides a brief yet interesting look into the film's use of green screen technology, showing how various scenes were visually enhanced.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Dry focus on technical aspects by director/co-writer and producers.
• Deleted Scenes: Six cut scenes adding minor character depth.
• Featurette: Giving Romance a New Look: Glimpse into CG-enhanced shots in the film.

"Love Happens" attempts to blend romantic drama with the introspective journey of a self-help guru but ultimately falls prey to genre tropes and clichéd setups. Aaron Eckhart stars as Dr. Burke Ryan, a self-help author and motivational speaker haunted by past traumas, delivering platitudes he struggles to believe. Jennifer Aniston plays Eloise Chandler, a quirky florist with trust issues who may hold the key to Burke’s healing. Their predictable romance, marred by hollow character development and implausible chemistry, unfolds in a manner that feels more like filling in a cinematic Mad Lib than crafting a genuine love story. The screenplay, penned by Brandon Camp and Mike Thompson, fails to rise above formulaic expectations, leaving viewers with an over-sentimental and uninspiring narrative.

While the film leans heavily on superficial emotional beats, it benefits significantly from its supporting cast. Dan Fogler breathes life into the ensemble with his funny and heartfelt portrayal, while John Carroll Lynch embodies sorrow with a magnetic presence that adds weight to the film’s otherwise light-hearted tone. Martin Sheen also shines in his brief appearances, providing a grounded counterpoint to Eckhart’s conflicted protagonist. Unfortunately, these performances cannot salvage the overarching lack of depth and forced sentimentality that permeates "Love Happens." Subplots drift without resolution, and Seattle's picturesque backdrop often outshines the primary storyline. Even for fans of romantic dramas, the film’s reliance on tired clichés and the absence of genuine connection between its leads make it hard to engage with or recommend.

In summary, "Love Happens" is a textbook example of genre predictability and lacks the necessary spark to elevate it beyond mediocrity. Despite the commendable efforts of its secondary cast, the movie sinks under the weight of its contrived plot and unconvincing romances, leaving little to be remembered or cherished by its audience.

"Love Happens" attempts to present a poignant tale of love and loss, though it often feels stilted under the weight of predictable plotlines and contrived character arcs. The film struggles to convince with a narrative that feels more manufactured than organic, resulting in a superficial exploration of themes that could have been more compelling. It falls short both in emotional depth and narrative intrigue.

However, the technical aspects of Universal’s Blu-ray release are notably superior. The video transfer is pristine, boasting excellent color reproduction and detail that enhances the viewing experience significantly. Additionally, the DTS-HD Master Audio track is impressive, delivering clear dialogue and a rich soundscape that complements the film's intended emotional beats. Yet, these technical merits are marred by an uninspiring array of supplemental features which add little to the overall value of the package, rendering the bonus content rather lackluster and uninventive.

In conclusion, while "Love Happens" may connect with audiences who appreciate its accessible romantic elements, it ultimately fails to rise above mediocrity due to a rehashed storyline and underdeveloped characters. Despite this, the Blu-ray release is redeemed somewhat by high-caliber audiovisual presentation. However, the limited and aimless extras dampen the appeal, making it a purchase best reserved for die-hard fans or collectors appreciative of top-notch technical quality.