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Downsizing Blu-ray Review

“Downsizing” is overly ambitious.

In “Downsizing,” a married couple (Paul and Audrey) decide to start a new life by undergoing the environmentally friendly downsizing process which shrinks them to 5 inches and allows them to live in a new community named Lesiureland. After Paul downsizes, however, he learns that Audrey did not go through with it and is stuck living life on his own in this new world. As he adjusts to his new single life, he meets a woman named Ngoc Lan Tran who changes his outlook on life. Will Paul live a more fulfilling life and find love again?

Over the past couple decades Alexander Payne has undoubtedly become one of the more talented writer/directors out there. With “Downsizing,” it was interesting to see the director work on a bigger movie with a medium sized budget, FX, big props, elaborate sets and arguably the most ambitious screenplay of his career (which was penned with co-writer Jim Taylor). Alas, the project was perhaps too ambitious for its own good. Now, make no mistake, the movie has a lot to say here as it covers topics/themes such as the environment, finding yourself, Earth, the class system, technology, humanity, love, overpopulation, and human preservation. Unfortunately, the script is overstuffed with ideas and suffers from weird tonal issues. It felt like this should have been a TV series instead as it would allow the characters and ideas breathe more. As is, the movie is an intriguing but mixed experience. Even still, I applaud Payne for taking risks and making something out of the norm.

Script flaws aside, the cast is a winner. As one might expect, Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Udo Kier, and Jason Sudeikis give credible performances, but the real star here is Hong Chau as Ngoc Lan Tran. The actress (who should have been nominated for an Academy Award) steals every scene she is in. She’s the real heart of the film and also manages to provide the funniest moments.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. How does it look? A little fuzzy in spots, but it’s a predictably sharp transfer for a modern film.

Audio Track: 7.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? A 7.1 track seems like overkill for a not so audio heavy film like this but, obviously, it does the job and then some.

Extras: DVD copy, Digital copy, an extra in which cast and crew members talk about Alexander Payne titled “Working With Alexander,” a bonus feature about the cast and casting process “The Cast,” a featurette about the various visual elements called “A Visual Journey,” a featurette about the scale and visual FX named “A Matter Of Perspective,” an extra about Matt Damon dubbed “That Smile,” and “A Global Concern” tackles the concepts the film presents.

March 7, 2018 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Alexander Payne, Christoph Waltz, Downsizing Blu-ray Review, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Matt Damon