Sleepwalking Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Jolene Reedy (Charlize Theron) is a disillusioned single mother prone to bad men and reckless
behavior. Her younger brother James (Nick Stahl) is a weak-willed underachiever who cant
hold a job. When Jolene abandons her 12-year-old daughter (AnnaSophia Robb) with James,
uncle and niece make a fateful decision to flee to the farm of James and Jolenes abusive
father (Academy Award nominee Dennis Hopper). In a past plagued by dark secrets, can family
prove to be the most desperate bond of all? Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson co-stars in this
acclaimed Sundance Festival Premiere Selection about the cycles of love, loss and waking up to
the first day of the rest of your life.
Before now, it's like I've been living in a dream, bad dreams, sleepwalking. But you helped
me. Woke me up.
It always amazes me when a movie like Sleepwalking comes to Blu-ray. Here's an
all-star
cast that combines a few intriguing up-and-comers with some grizzled Hollywood veterans, yet
somehow this movie practically flew under the radar and comes to Blu-ray with nary any pomp
and
circumstance. You can bet one of two things on a release like this. It's either such a dud that,
despite the cast, nobody dares acknowledge the film's existence, stealthily releasing the movie in
the midst of arguably Blu-ray's biggest month ever, or it's a fantastic independent-style feature
that
somehow got lost under the avalanche of far more audience-friendly releases like the latest Harold and Kumar
movie or Doomsday. Perhaps
it
is the fact that Sleepwalking is a vehicle for the aforementioned up-and-comers. The
major
stars play lesser roles but serve as important cogs in the story. Their presence is not not only
crucial to bringing some heft and prominence to the cast list, but their performances add another
dimension to the film's more crucial plot points. All told, Sleepwalking is a solid and
surprisingly effective drama about the pains, importance, and rewards of family.
Despite these rather blank stares, Stahl and Robb don't sleepwalk through 'Sleepwalking.'
Joleen (Charlize Theron, In the Valley of Elah)
is
a down-on-her-luck woman struggling to make ends meet while raising her young daughter, Tara
(AnnaSophia Robb, Bridge to Terabithia).
After her boyfriend is arrested for growing marijuana, Joleen and Tara move in with James (Nick
Stahl, Terminator 3: Rise of the
Machines), Joleen's brother. The unstable Joleen unexpectedly abandons her family,
sending only a letter promising to be back home in time for Tara's birthday, a month away.
James
takes it upon himself to care for Tara, as unfitting a father figure and caretaker he may be. Soon
enough, the stress and pressure of caring for a child mounts, James loses his job, and Tara is
placed
in foster care. Looking to redeem his past mistakes and do right by Tara, James removes her
from
the foster home and the pair travel head-on toward James' troubled past and Tara's uncertain
future.
Sleepwalking is a simple story with a slow, deliberate pace that keeps up with the theme
of the film. Anything flashier, faster, or more aggressive would have lessened the impact of the
story, and the direction throughout is minimal yet smart. Director William Maher, in his
directorial debut, approaches the film with an appropriately somber and static style. He develops
just the right sense of atmosphere to tell the story through his subtle direction with a finesse and
understanding of the material that complements the actors, their dialogue, and emotions. The
tone of the movie is the star here, and the cold, unforgiving
conditions that so often permeate every frame of the film convey the sense of hopelessness and
despair faced by every major character in the film. Maher also has a knack for shooting his
subjects so as to convey their plights through the film's visuals. For example, Tara is twice
framed within the confines of solid objects, notably the metal bars of a swimming pool ladder and
the antlers of a mounted deer. These frames, almost like a prison, reinforce her trapped, tight,
difficult situation. Although she often finds herself on the open road, her soul remains shrouded
and imprisoned as she searches not only for her mother, but for herself. In
Sleepwalking, Maher has unequivocally succeeded in conveying the story both visually
and thematically.
As mentioned in the opening, the film is replete with stars, but its lead actors, Stahl and Robb,
are excellent in their portrayals of a niece and uncle who find themselves more closely bound
through the ties of family
and the hardships both they and those around them struggle with throughout the film. Stahl
provides a rather good but subdued dramatic performance. Like the movie's weather, Stahl's
character is cold, his
acting is appropriate to the mood of the film. His character's nature is anything but affable and
lively, but his warm heart plays in stark contrast to the cold, unexpected turn of events that
leave Tara in his care, and the unforgiving conditions nature places in his path. Likewise, Robb
turns in a solid performance, building on the dramatic range she showed in Bridge to
Terabithia and once again leaving audiences satisfied with her ability as a young, burgeoning
actress. One scene in particular struck a chord, perfectly demonstrated the fine acting ability of
these leads, and proved to be memorable while also serving as one of the turning points in
the film. When Tara's mother failed to return home for her birthday, James presents her with a
gift. When Tara finally opens it, not a word is spoken between her and James, but each actor
effectively portrays their emotions through the looks in their eyes and the reserved smiles on
their faces, and the scene surpasses many others in lesser films where all the dialogue in the
world cannot save a scene with bad acting and irrelevant lines.
Sleepwalking debuts on Blu-ray in a perfectly fine 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 framed
transfer. I was immediately struck by the fine detail evident in the transfer. Look at the the
road
we see at the very beginning of the film. Its texture compels the viewer to reach out and touch
it,
and every line and crack is wonderfully detailed and extremely realistic. The next in the police
station
shot appears a bit dull and lifeless, and this look is consistent with what we
can
expect from the remainder of the transfer. The movie is generally pale and lifeless, but as
described
above, the atmosphere becomes a character and storyteller all its own, and that characteristic
imagery is replicated with excellence on this disc. Despite this look, detail is solid. The image is
fairly realistic in
appearance as everyday items -- clothing, sofas, and heavy machinery -- all have a nice, lifelike
appearance. Bright colors are virtually nonexistent. Muted, uninteresting colors appear in
abundance, and even flesh tones seem devoid of color as every actor appears pale and ghostly.
Excessive softness is never an issue in either foreground or background shots. Once again, like
their recent effort on Sex and Death 101,
Starz impresses with this transfer, and the studio certainly seems to be on the upswing.
Accompanied by a PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack, Sleepwalking is no sonic marvel on
Blu-ray, but this soundtrack effectively conveys the tone of the film and effortlessly helps in moving
the story along. Dialogue, the driving force behind the story, is clear and focused in the center of
the soundstage. Surrounds are used on occasion for ambience and effects, such as the sound of
automobiles driving from left to right and right to left in the background in chapter five, or a cold
breeze blowing around the room in chapter 11. Effects are also placed nicely across the front and
the sound emanates from the sides of the room where we expect to hear them based on the visuals
of the film. Minor atmospherics are generally present, notably the sound of what I believe is dripping
water in the basement where James briefly lives in chapter 10. Music generally plays at a low
volume but offers nice fidelity across the front soundstage. This soundtrack offers little in the way
of substance, but not every soundtrack need be a 360-degree ear-piercing assault to be effective.
Sleepwalking features a reserved yet completely acceptable soundtrack that conveys the
mood of the film perfectly.
Sleepwalking lacks an abundance of special features, and that's a shame. A commentary
with director William Maher along with Nick Stahl and AnnaSophia Robb would have been a welcome
addition. A Mother's Shame, A Family's Pain: The Making of 'Sleepwalking' (480p, 16:13) is
the highlight of the supplements and is
a standard making-of piece that provides a basic look at the pre-production process, casting, the
harsh conditions during the shoot, and more. Interviews with cast and crew are the foundation of
the piece, and only minimal clips from the film are intertwined. The video and audio qualities on
this supplement are
rather poor. The film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:33) is the only other
supplement to be found on the disc.
Sleepwalking is a fine movie and an excellent directorial debut for William Maher. With a
simple, well-told story, excellent direction, solid acting, and a decent pace,
Sleepwalking is worth watching, but its replay value is debatable. Starz has released the
film on Blu-ray with solid video and audio qualities, but skimped on the supplements. Those who
watch and enjoy the movie are going to be sorely disappointed with so few extras, and factored in
with the limited replay value, the decision to purchase this film may be a difficult one.
However, Sleepwalking is worth watching one way or the other on Blu-ray, and would
make a fine purchase when the price decreases.
Starz Home Entertainment has announced that they will bring 'Sleepwalking' to Blu-ray on July 8th, day-and-date with the DVD release. The film, which stars Charlize Theron and Nick Stahl, was selected for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. No technical specs have ...
