Role Models Blu-ray

Role Models

 (2008)

Comedy



Danny and Wheeler are two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie in redirecting his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie's new mentor wasn't an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center's ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges. And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world's worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child.

For more details about Role Models on Blu-ray, see the Role Models Blu-ray Review

Role Models Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


I was a little surprised with the video quality of Role Models, as it falls into a genre that doesn’t normally emphasize cinematographic greatness. While this is hardly a Conrad Hall-looking film, it does feature a nice image with well-saturated colors and robust contrast. Universal has given the movie the 1080 AVC Mpeg-4 treatment in the film’s original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1; the results are nearly flawless.

I didn’t detect a trace of edge enhancement, noise, posterization or any other distracting compression artifacts. The image is clean, offers a good amount of fine detail and is consistent in its presentation of deep colors. If there is one complaint that I can levy at Role Models, it’s in the fact that the movie, which was shot on film, looks like it was shot on high definition cameras. There’s very little grain and the picture exhibits a smoothness that screams “digital.” Given that there is no loss of detail in the image, I have to conclude that this is not the result of excessive digital noise reduction, but is simply the film’s intended look. Recommended.

Role Models Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


As yet another entry into the recent influx of more dialogue driven Blu-ray releases, Role Models is surprisingly effective given its limited sound design. Universal has, as usual, brought the film, uncompromised, to Blu-ray; DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio is the standard the studio hasn’t deviated from since they began producing Blu-ray titles. As one would expect from a quality encode, the film’s essential dialogue is rendered crisply and without a hint of distortion or audio compression. It’s an essential thing for comedies and Role Models benefits nicely from the extra audio resolution.

There’s not much surround activity in the film, but one will find a few light ambient touches that do liven up the proceedings from time to time. Music is also well presented and occupies the front soundstage, while occasionally gracing the rear channels. Dialogue is also firmly placed in the center channel throughout the film. The best thing that I can say about this Blu-ray release of Role Models is that the film sounds crisp and clean. There’s nothing standing in the way of a viewer experiencing exactly what the filmmakers intended. It’s not flashy and it’s not altogether impressive, but it works. Recommended.

Role Models Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Role Models Announced for Blu-ray - January 6, 2009

Role Models Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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