- Aspect Ratio: 2:35:1
- Video Codec: AVC MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080p/24 (23.976Hz)
- Audio Codec: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
- Subtitles Color: White
- Region: A (Region-Locked)
- Rating: R
- Run Time: 87 Mins
- Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray)
- Digital Copies: None
- Studio: MPI Media Group
- Blu-ray Release Date: December 11th, 2012
- List Price: $29.98
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Overall
[Rating:3.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(All TheaterByte screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG at 100% quality setting and are meant as a general representation of the content. They do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)
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The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Why Stop Now tells the story of piano prodigy Eli Bloom (Jesse Eisenberg). On the way to perhaps the most important audition of his life, Eli has run into one slight issue. First he must drop off his mother Penny (Melissa Leo) at a drug rehab center. Further complicating his day, Eli soon finds out that his mother wants one last score before going in. Arriving at the door of her dealer Sprinkles (Tracy Morgan), it turns out that Penny is very much in debt with Sprinkles. Demanding payment, Eli has no choice but to play a negotiator as he hits the streets. What results is a little gem of a comedy, highlighted by a rather funny performance by Eisenberg.
Even since discovering Jesse Eisenberg in the underrated Adventureland, I’ve continued to follow his work as I feel Eisenberg is one of the better up and coming actors in Hollywood. After making The Social Network, I immediately placed him on my ‘to watch’ list. He has a certain style to his acting, with his ability to deliver emotion – whether sad or happy – in a manner that few other actors can really handle. I always look to that initial opening sequence in Network, where the girl is (essentially) insulting him. Instead of becoming upset, he portrays an almost silence to this. His lack of emotion helps to build the type of character he is. Similarities can be found here in Why Stop Now. Even though he acting isn’t as impressive, I found his performance to be right on the mark.
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Why Stop Now hits Blu-ray with a 2:35:1 framed, AVC/MPEG-4 encoded transfer, one of which is solid. Clarity is strong, particularly that of facial close ups and texture detail. Colors can range from quite good (that of wider exterior shots), while darker moments can lose a bit of detail. Grain is kept in check, while there’s no evidence of use of any scrubbing tools. All in all, this transfer is fine.
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
The film’s included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, one that (like the video) is solid. Dialogue is well reproduced via the center channel, with no real instance of drop out. Even though this is a dialogue driven film, there are many instances where atmosphere is noticeable. During some of the ‘party’ moments, surrounds are active. Background dialogue can be heard, as well as a few discrete effects. All in all, this is a serviceable effort by MPI.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1/5]
The included features are presented in High Definition:
- Tracy Morgan Interview – Here’s an interview (7:16) with Morgan as he discusses his role in the film.
- Featurette – A rather brief (2:54) look into the film.
- Trailer – The film’s trailer (2:19) is shown.
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:3.5/5]
Highlighted by a funny, sometimes quirky performance by The Social Network‘s Jesse Eisenberg, Why Stop Now is an interesting comedy worth checking out.
Additional Screen Captures
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BestBuy.com:
Purchase Why Stop Now on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles on Amazon.com
–
[amazon-product]B009B8YZCQ[/amazon-product]
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BestBuy.com:
Purchase Why Stop Now on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles on Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:3.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1/5]
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