BLU-RAY REVIEW

St. Vincent

Featured In Issue 195, March 2015

Picture4
Sound3.5
WSR Score3.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Anchor Bay Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
BD61743
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$
(Disc Type):
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
102
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
(Regional Coding):
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Theodore Melfi
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

In St. Vincent, Maggie (McCarthy), a single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year-old son, Oliver (Lieberher). Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Murray), a retired curmudgeon with a desire for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair. Together with a pregnant stripper named Daka (Watts), Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine––the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart.

Special features include the featurette Bill Murray Is St.Vincent, The Patron Saint Of Comedy (HD 19:55), 12 deleted scenes (HD 10:44), upfront previews, and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture was photographed on film and exhibits a slightly grainy overlay, but the color palette is strongly saturated with warm hues and natural fleshtones. Rich reds in brick exteriors and other primaries are perfectly natural. Resolution is generally good, with fine detail exhibited in textures such as Vincent’s shoddy home and other interiors, clothing, and facial features. Contrast is generally decent with deep, though, at times crushed blacks and decent shadow delineation. Overall, this is a colorfully rich and warm film presentation that is pleasing to view.

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dialogue focused with a forward presence that at times is out of sync and wanting in spatial integration. Atmospherics, while subtle, provide some sense of dimension and soundstage presence. The music is often overpowering, with extension to the surrounds. Sound effects are effective at times and enhance the realism aided by .1 LFE energy. While dialogue is prominent, the soundtrack is complementary to the storytelling.