As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!
×
Did you know that Blu-ray.com also is available for United Kingdom? Simply select the
flag icon to the right of the quick search at the top-middle.
[hide this message]
Adoration Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
12-year-old Paul lives an isolated existence with his mother, who works at a private psychiatric hospital in the woods near their house. One day, Paul encounters a young teen named Gloria, a mysterious new patient with whom he quickly becomes infatuated. As the fledgling pair forge a tentative friendship, Gloria convinces Paul to help her escape. But when they embark on a perilous journey together, his devotion is put to the test as Gloria's dangerous unpredictability gradually starts to surface.
For more about Adoration and the Adoration Blu-ray release, see Adoration Blu-ray Review published by Brian Orndorf on June 21, 2021 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.0 out of 5.
Director Fabrice du Welz was last seen on screens with 2017's "Message from the King," a largely forgettable endeavor that provided the helmer with a
taste of Hollywood-style filmmaking, working with a decent budget and big stars, including Chadwick Boseman. Feeling a bit burned by the
experience, du Welz returns to more personal storytelling with 2019's "Adoration," which has more in common with early efforts like "Alleluia" and
"Vinyan." He's not making a horror movie with the offering, but "Adoration" triggers a few chills as it examines the ravages of mental illness and the
destructive purity of a boy's heart.
Paul (Thomas Gioria) is a 12-year-old boy raised by his single mother near a mental health facility. He doesn't have friends, absorbing the world's
wonders on his own, and this stillness is shattered by the arrival of Gloria (Fantine Harduin), a teenager with severe psychological issues who
refuses to be locked up. Falling in love with the stranger, Paul responds to her cries for help, organizing an escape that sends the couple on a trip
through rural Belgium, meeting people who want to offer help, but remain just as unsteady as Gloria.
"Adoration" doesn't pursue shock value, with du Welz (who co-writes the picture) aiming for a more of a Malick-ian experience, finding Paul working
out his relationship with nature while Gloria rides the highs and lows of her manic episodes. This unusual chemistry fuels much of "Adoration," with a
prison break-style moment at the hospital inspiring a trek across Belgium, with the children not necessarily getting to know each other, but they
better understand individual needs, trying out survival for the first time.
Complications arrive with the addition of outsiders who don't quite know what to do with the visitors, with one couple having trouble recognizing
personal boundaries, while another man is drowning in his own ocean of pain. Turns of plot are welcome, but du Welz is better with moments of
reflection and exploration, with the endeavor gorgeously shot by cinematographer Manuel Dacosse, who keeps the effort atmospheric and poetic,
even when the production gets a little carried away with quaky handheld shots in the name of independent film realism.
The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation explores 16mm cinematography with heavy and film-like grain, also capturing precise colors,
including natural skintones, and excursions into nature deliver lush greenery. Clothing maintains
deep primaries. with distinct pinks and reds. Detail offers clear skin surfaces, with close-ups textured, along with forest visits and open world shots,
which offer ideal dimension. Interior
decoration is easily surveyed. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in excellent condition.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA provides appreciation for the naturalistic world around the lead characters, finding atmospherics lively with forest and waterway
visits, and room tone is captured throughout. Dialogue exchanges are sharp and emotive, also balanced comfortably, as Gloria is prone to screaming
fits. Music is defined, with sharp instrumentation. Low-end isn't challenged.
Deleted Scenes (6:18, HD) offer an extended moment with Paul and Gloria at a wedding reception.
Interview (33:21, HD) is a conversation with co-writer/director Fabrice du Welz, who details the writing process, medical
research, biographical touches, cinematic inspirations, casting achievements, the use of 16mm to shoot the film, lighting choices, his "Ardennes Trilogy,"
and his next project.
"Adoration" isn't a comfortable sit, as Gloria is clearly not well, suffering through her illness while Paul watches, not mature enough to deal with the
situation, powered by the innocence of pre-teen infatuation. This is not a love story, but something more intimate from du Welz, who's trying to shape a
tale of mutual support that's gradually revealed to be painfully one-sided, tapping into adolescent behaviors and thinking, putting two distressed
characters into a world that's teeming with beauty, but also populated with troubled people.
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Adoration. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Adoration in the search box below.
Vinegar Syndrome will distribute five new titles from partner labels. They are: Adoration (2019), The Leather Boys (1964), Donny's Bar Mitzvah (2020), Martha: A Picture Story (2019), and Prospect (2018). All releases will be available for purchase on May 25.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
flag icon to the right of the quick search at the top-middle.
[hide this message]
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Adoration. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Adoration in the search box below.
