The Film
A content, middle-aged married couple is put to the test in a year of strife among their single friends and family members. He's a geologist, she's a therapist. As they interact with their friends in Another Year on Blu-ray, they both play counselor. Written and directed by Mike Leigh (Secrets and Lies), there's the story, and then there are many levels beneath the surface.
Each season the couple, Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) spends time at their allotment, a parcel of land they tend where they grow vegetables. This serves to ground the couple, who face their friends as pillars of strength. While their bond holds up, most of their friends and family fall apart with loneliness.
The Picture
In Another Year, the changing seasons are denoted by simple words in the transitional scenes, but the picture remains constant without any noticeable change in the color palette. The 2.35:1 picture looks slightly washed out overall, apparently representing the comfortable, but not terribly exciting lives of Tom and Gerri. Otherwise the video transfer is clean, with good detail,
The Sound
The focus in this film is on the dialog, and you realize that pretty early. Environmental and ambient sounds are left at a minimum. Of course if the scene is set on the street you're likely to hear traffic, but there are plenty of scenes where the background is uncomfortably silent (perhaps that added to the affect of the film). Still, in other scenes the film's modern classical score overpowers as it plays through the scene, and transitions from one scene to the next.
The Extras
"The Mike Leigh Method," a feature on Director Mike Leigh and his work on the film, complements a commentary track and a Making-Of featurette. Each of the three special features provides insight into the film, the actors and characters, as well as previous Mike Leigh projects.
Final Thoughts
Another Year looks at the ordinary lives of Tom and Gerri plus their friends and family. On the top level it's an ordinary year, but as with many Mike Leigh films, there are deeper levels to the story and interactions of the characters. Certainly worth viewing but maybe try it before buying it on Blu-ray.
Product Details
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