BLU-RAY REVIEW

Perfect Sense

Featured In Issue 169, September 2012

Picture4
Sound4
WSR Score4.5
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):
IFC Films
(Catalog Number):
IFC1886
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$29.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Single Layer (BD-25)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
92
(Color Type):
Color With B/W Sequences
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
2010
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
05/22/12
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
David Mackenzie
(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):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

In Perfect Sense, a strange wave of sadness is sweeping the globe. People are breaking down in sobbing fits, but when they regain their composure, something has changed—they have lost their senses of smell and taste. Susan (Green) is a scientist in Glasgow who is studying this odd pandemic. Ever since suffering her own romantic heartbreak, she has thrown herself completely into her work. Michael (McGregor) is a successful and happily single chef at a restaurant near Susan's apartment. But when Susan and Michael meet, everything starts to change. They share an intensely emotional and erotic night just as the rest of the world is losing its sensory perception, and a serious relationship slowly blossoms. Are Susan and Michael's increasingly intense feelings for each other in spite of the epidemic, or because of it? (Tricia Spears)

Special features include a featurette (HD 01:47), the trailer, and up-front ads.

The 2.35:1 1080p AVC picture was photographed with Sony's CineAlta F35 high-definition camera that conveys a generally cinematic appearance, except for capturing extremes in contrast. Blacks and whites can appear crushed or blown out, depending on the scene. Colors appear generally saturated, with certain objects richly hued, depending on the scene and the stylistic intent. Resolution varies as well, with some scenes revealing fine detail and others a soft, defocused look. The stylized picture shifts in appearance, as intended, to create an emotional impact. Noise also is at times prevalent, as are artifacts, particularly during stock standard-definition footage. No doubt this is the intended look and an accurate representation of what the filmmakers sought to portray. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack delivers a nicely designed sonic experience that convincingly conveys the environmental ambiance and atmospherics. At times the atmospherics and sound effects energize the soundfield with an aggressive surround presence. The haunting music score is nicely recorded with effective enveloping surround and, at times, dynamic quality that enhances the sense of tension, fear, and the unknown. Dialogue is nicely presented with good spatial integration and sensitivity to the scene. The narration is perfectly balanced as well. The portrayal of deafness is uncanny—accentuated at times with deep .1 LFE bass. This is an emotionally charged sonic experience that is effectively textured throughout to convey a progression of emotional transformation. (Gary Reber)