The Film
Mike Mills (Thumbsucker) opened his heart and his diary to deliver Beginners, a little film based on the director's not-so-typical upbringing.
He's given some of his most personal experiences to Oliver, who is played here by Ewan McGregor. Within the first few minutes of Beginners, we get to know all we need to know about Oliver's family. His parents were married for 44 years, until his mom died of cancer. Just months after her death, Oliver's father Hal (Christopher Plummer) drops the bombshell that he's gay. Of course, that news is nothing compared to Hal's own terminal cancer.
The film opens after Hal's passing, but squeezes in a lot of Oliver's past, through photos and flashbacks. These interesting and sometimes sad moments are intertwined with Oliver's budding romance with Anna (Mélanie Laurent of Inglourious Basterds).
The relationship is sweet and Laurent is certainly a presence. However, Oliver's past is much more interesting than his present. The interactions between Oliver and Hal, as well as Hal and his new life, are more interesting still. Then, there's the whole cancer thing. For such a dense plot, it's quite a subdued experience. That said, McGregor and Plummer both deliver standout performances, as does Goran Visnjic (TV's ER), as Hal's handsome, young lover.
It would have been nice to know more about how Oliver was feeling during those last years of his father's life. There is so much packed into the movie, the guy doesn't get the chance to emote very much. Like life sometimes, there just isn't an opportunity. Despite lingering questions and unresolved emotions, Beginners comes recommended, as it's a very sweet, sometimes sad film that's filled with good performances.
The Picture
Beginners is sort of subdued, and this mood carries through to the film's color palette. That's not to say that it's bad, but this 1.78:1 transfer just doesn't make for a real eye-popping experience. Black levels are the best thing about this release, as they are strong and pretty wonderful. Detail is a mixed bag, but excels in the film's outdoor scenes, where the overall image displays a bit more of a pop. It's not the best visual experience we've seen on Blu-ray, but what you do get is very natural, which works well with the tone of the movie.
The Sound
Beginners is a pretty quiet movie overall, with the main focus on dialogue. Despite the generally low tone of the film, the DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers every word perfectly. Occasionally, the soundfield perks up, thanks to the film's musical score and soundtrack. Otherwise, the film doesn't offer a whole lot of other audio. Like the image, this sparse and subtle audio track does work with the nature of the film. However, it's not exactly an immersive or enveloping experience.
The Extras
This film is based on the director's personal experiences, so it makes sense that Mike Mills has his own commentary track. He covers possibly everything you'd want to know about the film, from the concepts to the location to the music. If you enjoy the film, it's certainly worth a listen. Other than that, there's a quick (seriously, it's one minute) promo piece and 15-minute making-of short. The longer featurette covers some interesting tibits about the film, without just rehashing the plot. Bonus points for giving a nice chunk of time to Cosmo the dog, who delivers one of the film's most expressive performances.
Final Thoughts
Beginners is certainly a good movie. However, it could have been a great movie. The father/son relationship is a bit of a tease, as it should have been more of the film's main focus. That said, it's still worth a viewing. Don't expect too much out of the sound and picture. Still Beginners is well worth picking up, for the acting performances alone.
Product Details
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