DVD Corner

99 Homes Blu-ray Review

“99 Homes” is an emotional and important film.

The story: Dennis (a single father who lives with his mother) is an unemployed construction worker whose life takes a turn for the worse when he is evicted from his home by a real estate broker (Rick). Rick, as we learn, makes a hefty profit off of foreclosures and real estate scams. In a strange turn of events, Dennis winds up getting some work from Rick. As Rick takes Dennis under his wing, however, Dennis essentially has to do what was previously done to him by throwing people out of their homes. Will Dennis continue to go down this dark path or will he come to his senses?

“99 Homes” works on several levels. On one level, it’s a morality tale about a seemingly good hearted family man (Dennis) who becomes so corrupted by greed that he puts off everyone around him. On another level, the film is a disheartening examination of capitalism, the housing crisis, the economy, financial struggles, and ruined lives. Writer/director Ramin Bahrani and writer Amir Naderi could have easily shied away from these topics, but they never do. The film hits you like a gut punch. It’s upsetting, it’s infuriating, and it’s sickening. It really gets the point across. Just watch the opening scene and the agonizingly heartbreaking sequence where Dennis is evicted to see what I mean.

Another reason “99 Homes” works so well is because of the incredible performances by Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon. Garfield is the heart of the story and he truly delivers what is arguably the finest performance of his career. Shannon, on the other hand, gets the striking supporting role as the villainous real estate broker. He really goes to town with the role and should have been nominated for an Oscar (he did receive a Golden Globe nomination though).

Note: The Blu-ray release of “99 Homes” is a Best Buy exclusive.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.40:1 1080p. How does it look? The great location shooting really shines in hi-def.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? From the tense dialogue driven scenes to the quieter moments, this track delivers.

Extras:
* Broadgreen Pictures trailers.
* 1 deleted scene.
* A solo commentary by the soft spoken Ramin Bahrani. While not the most riveting track, Ramin does provide great insight into creative decisions.

February 5, 2016 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | 99 Homes Blu-ray Review, Andrew Garfield, Best Buy Exclusive, Michael Shannon