My Best Friend's Girl Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "My Best Friend's Girl" on Blu-ray by Lionsgate offers an overall satisfying experience consistent with the quality of newer release films. Colors are generally bright and vivid, with highlights displaying natural precision. Contrast and brightness are well-balanced, enhancing both brightly lit scenes and darker sequences, providing a dynamic and gradational visual palette. Complexions display excellent tonal delineation, presenting lifelike textures in high definition. However, flesh tones sometimes push towards the red spectrum, occasionally giving actors a sunburnt appearance, and colors may appear slightly overblown, lending a warm, albeit inconsistent feel to the picture.

The 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer handles fine detail with variability. Grain is prominent throughout the film, which might be distracting to some viewers. Bright outdoor scenes tend to perform better in terms of sharpness and clarity compared to drab interior shots, which can appear soft and lack depth at times. Black levels can be hit-or-miss, occasionally appearing too bright or conversely displaying deep and true blacks. While fine textures and background details are appreciable in certain instances, there is a noticeable fluctuation that can detract from the overall viewing experience. These inconsistencies appear to be inherent to the film's original intent and are not indicative of a poor transfer, but rather a stylistic choice that could limit the disc’s appeal as reference material.

In summary, while the Blu-ray video presentation of "My Best Friend's Girl" has its strong points with vivid colors and good tonal delineation, it is accompanied by some technical inconsistencies such as fluctuating fine details and a pervasive red tint in flesh tones. Although it is not demo-worthy, it remains a solid release for casual viewing.

The audio presentation of "My Best Friend's Girl" on Blu-ray employs a DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack, tailored perfectly to the film's comedic genre. While not a reference track, the audio mix delivers commendable performance, with an exceptional balance between dialogue, music, and ambient effects. Dialogue is notably clear and lifelike, maintaining smooth clarity with no noticeable stridency. The voices are predominantly anchored in the center channel, while the music and sound effects are dispersed substantially across the front channels, creating a detailed and rich auditory landscape.

The soundtrack effectively utilizes all seven channels to craft an immersive environment, especially in select scenes. For instance, seagulls in an outdoor café scene and a well-rendered rainstorm evoke a sense of envelopment with subtle rear-channel support. While the bass presence is solid yet not overpowering, contributing to the overall ambience without overwhelming the primary audio elements. Atmosphere is intricately mixed into rear channels, providing subtle surround envelopment that enhances the viewing experience without feeling forced or unnatural.

In summation, this DTS-HD Master Audio track successfully supports the film's narrative, offering sufficient depth and clarity. The soundtrack's strength lies in its music delivery, characterized by quality clarity and definition without overshadowing the dialogue. Although not flawless and with room for improvement in some intense scenes where dialogue occasionally gets overpowered by music, it generally meets audience expectations. Lionsgate has crafted an audio experience that enriches the comedic film effectively while ensuring high-definition sound quality across various environments and scenes.

The Blu-ray release of "My Best Friend's Girl" by Lionsgate includes a comprehensive set of special features, though many lean towards superficial content rather than depth. Both theatrical and unrated editions of the film are available, along with two audio commentary tracks: one with director Howard Deutch detailing locations, improvisations, and casting, and another more dynamic track featuring actor Jason Biggs, writer Jordan Cahan, and producer Greg Lessans, which fans may find more entertaining. Additional features include several HD format featurettes, 15 deleted/extended scenes in high definition, and interactive elements via MoLog for BD Profile 2.0 users. A digital copy of the film is also provided, though its visual quality may leave something to be desired on portable devices.

Extras included in this disc:

• Unrated audio commentary with Director Howard Deutch: Insights on character development, locales, and cast.
• Unrated audio commentary with Jason Biggs, Writer Jordan Cahan, Producer Greg Lessans: Lively discussion on the film's creation.
• Making it in Beantown: Where it all began: Examines Dane Cook's Boston roots and filming locations.
• The cast's guide to dating: Cast thoughts on dating.
• A to Z: Professor Turner's sexist rating system: Alec Baldwin on his role and rating system.
• The prom: A teen rite of passage: Cast reminisces about prom experiences.
• 15 Deleted/Extended scenes: Extra scenes in high definition.
• MoLog: Interactive feature with "Tanking Game" and customization options.
• Also from Lions Gate: High definition previews.
• Digital Copy Bonus Disc: Standard version for download to portable devices.

"My Best Friend's Girl" is a daring venture into the realm of coarse, raunchy humor, helmed by Dane Cook in his signature style. Cook portrays Tank Turner, a professional cad whose job is to show women such an awful time that they run back to their ex-boyfriends, who pay Tank for his services. The movie's premise is offbeat and unapologetically vulgar, setting the stage for a series of outrageous antics and cringe-worthy moments. Tank's best friend, Dustin (Jason Biggs), hires him to take out his platonic love interest, Alexis (Kate Hudson), in hopes she'll realize her feelings for him. However, complications arise when Tank and Alexis develop their own unexpected chemistry.

Dane Cook leverages his brand of deadpan humor married with crude and unlikable characteristics to breathe life into Tank. This deliberate casting choice resonates well for the role, making his despicable acts seem almost naturally funny, albeit within the depraved gamut set by the film. Jason Biggs and Kate Hudson provide solid support, playing into their roles with just the right balance of charm and frustration. Alec Baldwin delivers a standout performance as Tank's father, a hilariously lecherous Women’s Studies professor, adding a bizarre yet hilariously jarring dimension to the narrative.

Despite its offensive humor, "My Best Friend's Girl" flirts with romantic comedy tropes, particularly in its dramatically toned scenes and predictable arc. The narrative is peppered with moments that mock the idealized scenarios seen in traditional romantic comedies, most notably in a staged encounter that parodies the genre’s clichés. For genre loyalists who find joy in vulgarity and predictability, the movie offers an abundant feast of laughs. However, mainstream audiences may need to navigate its raw humor with caution.

"My Best Friend's Girl" on Blu-ray is tailored for enthusiasts of crude sexual humor, though it may not appeal to a broader audience. The film benefits from decent performances, a solid storyline, amusing dialogue, and effective physical comedy, with a cast that delivers a cohesive onscreen chemistry. However, it does feel overextended in places, particularly in the unrated extended version. Overall, either version of the film provides satisfactory entertainment for its target demographic.

This Blu-ray release by Lionsgate is adequate, if not spectacular, in its presentation. The video quality is often grainy and rough, but the film also boasts a commendable soundtrack that enhances the viewing experience. The selection of bonus materials is extensive, offering fans additional content that supplements the primary feature.

In conclusion, while "My Best Friend's Girl" might not set any new standards for visual or audio excellence, it delivers well within its niche. For fans of this genre, it is a worthwhile addition to their Blu-ray collection, offering ample supplemental content and a consistent humor style that aligns perfectly with their tastes.