Red, White & Blue – DVD Review

The Film:

What plays like a white trash edit of Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road with a Last House on the Left ending, director Simon Rumley’s (The Living and the Dead) triptych tale of how the non-sequential act of sex, can lead into it being a catalyst of problems, isn’t as biting in its portrayal of his Americana.

Certainly in America today, the distant memory of the Sexual Revolution is a tombstone to the age of sexual openness our culture is in now, but Rumley’s viewpoint on it is a bit hollow for the reach he’s trying for.

If Red, White & Blue is a mirror to a current river of moral decay in our society, then the script needed a little more focus as all characters seem like a stock issue Rob Zombie reject from an unfinished film. But bathed in all of this is a well-directed, superbly acted, almost lyrical aura that keeps you watching. Aided by a score that ranges from haunting to cliched, Red, White & Blue shows “torture porn” directors a thing or two about movie-making.

The way the three character’s relationships intertwine can be viewed as a smartly scripted Maury episode, yet give credit where credit is due: Simon Rumley directed the hell out of this film. It’s frank and real, despite by cheeky gripes, but it never allows us to get to close to the characters or the situations, since there seems like a disconnection was already there. Each character’s relationship with sex is interesting: Erica hides within the one-night stands; Nate needs the embracing as a medium to reconnect with someone; and Franki’s views on sex are very vapid until a realization causes a turn. It’s dark, violent ending might be a tad overdone, and although Red, White & Blue is a stellar film technically, one can help but wonder this film’s new Americana is a bit of misinterepetion. People’s lives cannot be that bad, can it? Or maybe the fallout of this generation has wielded some real unsaid ugliness? I think that while tantalizing, it’s giving Red, White & Blue a bit too much credit.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: IFC Films releases a rather mix standard definition presentation. Video is often murky at times, soft sometimes throughout, and while it fits in with the film’s tone, it sort of deserves a better transfer. The audio is better, with its punchy score adding to the dark foreboding mood. Fans won’t complain, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.

Commentary: Director Simon Rumley and producer Bob Portal chat it up for a subdued look at the film. Of note, is the distance away from the film the two have, which makes for some interesting topics. I wanted more from them in terms of depth, but it’s a solid listen.

Making-of: For such a controversial and dark movie, there’s little insight to this featurette, that runs for 16 minutes. Interviews abound, but little info is given. It all plays like a weird EPK.

Bloopers, Trailers, and two useless Deleted Scenes round out the disc’s extras.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating: