Tommy Boy Blu-ray offers decent video and audio in this still overall recommended Blu-ray release
The boys are back and they're bigger than ever in the gut-busting, all-new Holy Schnike
Edition! Crack-up comedians Chris Farley and David Spade star as two ne'er-do-well traveling
salesmen who hit the road in order to save the family business in this "infectiously funny"
(Gary Arnold, The Washington Times), larger-than-life movie.
I swear I've seen a lot of stuff in my life, but that...was...awesome!
Tommy Boy plays out in what is (or at least was for its time) cinematic comedy convention,
but it does
so with plenty of heart, humor, and spunk, not to mention several standout performances and a
great script, and the
result is one of the better comedies of the 1990s. Made before the influx of raunchy teen comedies
that have become the standard bearer of the genre, this 1995 film has aged very well, still playing
as fresh and funny as ever, and remains one of the last vestiges of great comedy before the genre's
rapid decline over the past decade. In the spirit of some of the better films of one of the genre's
best
eras, Tommy Boy is a road trip movie in the tradition of Planes, Trains, and
Automobiles, and a touching film of self-discovery with comedic overtones.
Chris Farley proves that 'Tommy Boy' is 'the bomb.'
Thomas R. Callahan III (Chris Farley, Beverly Hills Ninja), affectionately known as
"Tommy
Boy," is a recent graduate of Marquette University, capping off his college career with a
barely-passing grade of D+ in history. Returning to his blue-collar hometown of Sandusky, Ohio,
Tommy receives a warm welcome from the employees of his father's (Brian Dennehy, First Blood) auto parts
plant. Tommy is given an office and is poised to one day take over his father's position. That day
comes all too soon when his father passes away at his own wedding, leaving Tommy in charge of
the company. To keep the business afloat, Tommy and his father's right-hand man, Richard
(David Spade, The Benchwarmers),
set out on a trip through the upper midwest in hopes of selling an advanced brake pad his
father just developed, a part, it is hoped, that will revolutionize the auto industry. The trip sees
poor results as the pair bumble their way through sales pitches, but with the fate of several
hundred workers at stake, this odd couple must not only struggle with accepting each other's
attitudes and business acumen (or lack thereof) on the road, but they
must also ultimately deal with a clandestine power grab back home, stemming from a most
surprising
source.
Tommy Boy works as well as it does due to its terrific ensemble cast and excellent leads.
Chris Farley and David Spade make movie magic as two mismatched partners trying to keep the
Callahan family auto parts business alive. The two find themselves on the opposite ends of the
spectrum physically, mentally, and emotionally. The slimmer, smarter, and more level-headed
Richard is the perfect foil to the overweight, dense, goofy, yet sweet and well meaning Tommy.
Tommy is a fantastic character whose essence is captured wonderfully by the late Chris Farley.
Perhaps something of a typical character, the goofy, none-too-smart, overweight Tommy, whose
heart is twice the size of his waistline, is nevertheless a memorable and honest character, a
combination that more than anything else the movie has to offer -- particularly its great script
and
solid direction from Peter Segal (Get Smart) --
makes it
so good. Farley's delivery of his lines and the physical gags that so often accompany them are
perfect. His journey throughout the film is subtle; the abuse he takes, particularly from Richard,
not to mention his initial failures as a salesman, leave him down but never knocked out. Tommy
is depicted as a fighter, someone who learns from his mistakes, embraces his shortcomings, and
uses everything he has to his advantage, even if it means plenty of mental, verbal, and physical
lapses along the way.
David Spade also delivers a more subtle but almost as impressive performance as the nerdy
Richard, who, despite his own various shortcomings, sees fit to oftentimes bluntly poke fun at
Tommy.
Richard learns, however, to see past the physical and mental shortcomings of his new partner,
instead coming to admire all Tommy has to offer the world. The film also
features two fine actors in supporting roles. Dan Aykroyd is great in his cameo role as the head
of a rival auto parts conglomerate, and Brian Dennehy turns in a typically first-class performance
as Tommy's father. His character's death comes suddenly and is one that momentarily turns the
movie on its head, dramatically shifting the tone from lighthearted fun to a palpable sense of
sadness. The loss effects audiences as much as it does Tommy, showing just how effective a
turn of events it is, another tribute to the film's far better-than-average script. Tommy
Boy does a great job of making Dennehy's character incredibly likable, a man who sees past
Tommy's shortcomings that Richard so dwells on, showing the power of love and respect for
character, charisma, and heart, rather than some external flaws that mean little next to his
gentle soul. Farley handles the scenes that follow with dignity and realism, pouring on the
emotion, capturing the feeling of loss perfectly, and demonstrating a broader range than just his
natural comedic style.
Paramount presents Tommy Boy on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. The
movie might not be the brightest, sharpest, or most detailed, but it looks very nice on Blu-ray, with
a good, enjoyable, film-like appearance about it. Everything about the transfer is above average,
but not great. There are spots and speckles that pop up frequently throughout, particularly early on
in the film. There is an appreciable sense of depth to some of the imagery, particularly during
various exterior shots, even through the many Ohio backdrops that are somewhat drab and
overcast. Detail is solid yet unspectacular. Some background details are soft in
appearance, but such occurrences are never much of a hinderance to the enjoyment of the film.
Black levels and flesh tones are solid. Comedies like Tommy Boy are all about the laughs,
and a high quality presentation almost seems like gravy. To that end, Tommy Boy delivers
a suitable high definition visual experience.
Tommy Boy graduates to a lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack for this Blu-ray release.
As expected, it's nothing extraordinary, but it gets the job done well enough. Dialogue is adequately
reproduced, emanating from the center channel with nary a hiccup. While this mix is mostly front
heavy, a few good, discrete effects travel throughout the rear soundstage in several scenes. The
soundtrack also plays very well across the front. The score spreads out to the front left and right
channels, as does the popular music, both of which are reproduced with nice fidelity and clarity.
There just isn't a whole lot going on here. The soundtrack is never a detriment to the film, and the
lossless mix adds some clarity and vitality to what is a mostly front-heavy, basic sound design that
is suitable for this style of filmmaking.
Paramount brings Tommy Boy to Blu-ray with several fine supplements. First up is a
commentary track featuring director Peter Segal. The director provides a solid track that is easy
to
listen to, spending plenty of time discussing Chris Farley, the script, the additional cast members,
shooting locales, and more. However, he does fall into the trap of just watching the movie and
laughing at various scenes, but there is enough here that fans should enjoy the experience. Also
included are a series of storyboard comparisons (480p, 13:54) for seven different scenes, playing
the final cut of the film alongside the hand-drawn storyboards that depict the same scene. Next
up are a series of deleted (480p, 6:43), extended (480p, 22:19), and alternate (480p, 4:18)
scenes. Also available is a Tommy Boy photo gallery.
Four featurettes are also included. Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter (480p, 29:08)
looks
at the origins of the picture, the acting careers of the stars, the evolution of the film, the
originality and vitality the actors brought to their roles, the film's legacy, and more. Stories
From the Side of the Road (480p, 13:31) looks at the origins of some of the film's gags and
the
improvisations the actors brought to their roles. Just the Two of Us (480p, 9:46) looks
at
the chemistry shared between Farley and Spade. Growing Up Farley (480p, 7:29)
features
Chris' brothers John and Kevin recalling some of their favorite memories from their childhood.
Concluding this supplemental package is a gag reel (480p, 4:16), a series of TV spots (480p,
7:37), and the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:28).
Tommy Boy makes for an enjoyable little ride that is always pleasant, easy on the eyes,
scintillating on the funny bone, and very sweet in just the right dosage. Chris Farley and David
Spade
share wonderful on-screen chemistry, devouring a script that hits all the right notes at just the
right time, and Farley's comedic genius shines through in what is easily his best picture. Farley was
lost far too early. He was well on his way to becoming one of the greats of his generation, carrying
on in the legacy of John Candy, not just in stature but in his ability to perfectly capture the finest of
nuances in his vocal and physical abilities as a comedian. Paramount has done well by the Blu-ray
release of this comedy classic, delivering suitable high definition audio and video and a fine selection
of bonus materials. Fans can rest assured that this is currently the best way to experience
Tommy Boy at home, and Paramount has priced it to sell. Easily recommended.
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