PIC of the Week – Tully
Article series by Ray Schillaci
Other than being a little put off by the ending of the latest Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody film Tully, I still found myself having a great deal of joy with everything it had to offer, along with another dynamite performance by Charlize Theron. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment delivers a Blu this week that so many men and women will take a great deal of pleasure in viewing. It’s a solid piece of entertainment even with an ending that may have some of you question. No spoilers from here on.
Reitman and Cody once again prove they are quite a formidable creative duo after having done Juno and Young Adult. Add to the mix the star from their last film, Charlize Theron, and the subject of motherhood, pregnancy, and the whirlwind of real emotions women go through, and this film could not be anymore timelier. That is not say that men will not enjoy it. Writer Diablo Cody gives us men a real eye opener of a dramatic story filled with humor, pathos, and wit. Director Reitman is in perfect rhythm with his writer and star, delivering a film that finds so many little idiosyncratic moments to have us ponder, laugh, and touch our heart.
Charlize Theron plays Marlo, mother of two and pregnant with her third. This looks like it could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. Marlo is overwhelmed with motherhood. Doesn’t make her bad, just human. Reitman, Cody, and Theron show us just how exhausting and life changing being a mom can be, and trying to find one’s place in the world.
Then, there are all those around Marlo. Her concerned husband, her kids, brother and her friends. Everyone of them has an opinion, and she’s at the point that she just wants a little peace, and perhaps a little ray of hope. That comes in the form of Tully, a night nanny she is encouraged to hire to help her sleep while her newborn is taken care of. But Tully proves to be more than that. She helps Marlo rediscover herself.
Mackenzie Davis as Tully is enjoyably quirky and honest. We feel the exasperation roll off Marlo’s shoulders as Tully lends a kind and understanding hand. In an odd way, Tully is Marlo’s adult Mary Poppins. No, she’s not dancing with cartoon characters or trying to help the medicine go down with a spoonful of sugar. But, she is almost a magical sage for Marlo as she has the once exhausted woman at her near wits end blossom into something she never thought she could be again.
Visually, Tully does not jump out at us. But, it doesn’t have to. We get a more intimate visual that is story and character driven. It’s not a required 4K viewing which is probably why the big U decided to opt out of that format for the presentation. Not that’s it’s below par. It’s just a solid 1080p picture that does not leave us wanting more.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is nothing to shout out about. In fact, depending on your sound system, some may struggle with some of the dialogue in the beginning. This has been a gripe with many of us who have turned to close captioning with a few presentations. You would think by now the studios would pay more attention to what’s being said than to how loud they can make an explosion. Yes, you can turn up the volume, but it becomes a nuisance when things do get loud. This by no means should put you off from seeing the film. It’s just something that’s slightly noticeable in the beginning of the film.
Now, the big question: Universal, where the hell are the extras! This is a film that demands special features. All we get is a digital download and a ten minute featurette entitled The Relationships of Tully, about the making of the film with cast and filmmaker interviews. My God, with everything going on in this film we could have at least a half hour or more of interesting tidbits if just a little more effort was put into its release. Shame on you, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for cheaping out on such a fine film.
Best Price – Target – $18.39
