Narrows, The (DVD)

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In that sense, Mike and Kathy are made for each other. Both have inner demons they´re wrestling with: Mike needing to figure his life out, Kathy soul searching for her life´s calling in college. Both are hypocrites and feel betrayal from the other, yet manage to hold out hope they´ll find a way to be together. She gets through to him, but not well enough to keep him from the life he thinks he needs to sustain himself.

Things get pretty tense as the film´s climax comes and goes, and we learn that despite Vinny´s advice early on to stay away from men like Tony, he does have his son´s well being in mind throughout. It´s a tough love from father to his son, but it´s all Mike knows, and it´s what he needs. There´s violence, bloodshed and murder juxtaposed with sex, family matters and higher education. It´s almost too much, but thankfully "The Narrows" doesn´t even run two hours.

As with most films where the criminal underworld slams into everyday life, no character leaves without some mark, scar or battle wound. Every single one has some guilt or agony they will carry with them, and it´s good we aren´t really made to feel sorry for anyone. Desperate people will do desperate things, and those things tend to have more negative consequences than anything else. Mike finds this out the hard way, jeopardizing his family, his love life and education all at once.

The film is entertaining, but it feels slightly too artificial. New York doesn´t overwhelm as it could, and the supporting cast doesn´t support as well as it should. The multiple plot lines are kept simple enough so you won´t lose track, but they also need high quality acting from additional players to really expand and enhance the experience. Since that doesn´t come, we´re left to rely on Zegers, Bush and D´Onofrio exclusively. Zegers is good, D´Onofrio gets the job done and Bush, while emotional, physically attractive and convincing, is a cluster. It´s a good film that´s frustrating to watch because there´s so much untapped potential.

Video:
"The Narrows" looks very sharp in its original 1.78:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The picture remains pretty clear throughout, and minimal grain appears. There´s more darkness throughout this DVD than anything else, and the film is well lit enough that despite the one sided imbalance you don´t feel overwhelmed. New York looks gritty and real, but not nearly as populated or messy as other films make it seem. The characters look slightly too clean from beginning to end, but the high quality transfer makes them appear vivid and eye-catching.

Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound audio track has its highs and lows. Sure, the yelling and violence can be heard no problem, but the normal volume conversations sound like they cut in and out. Occasionally, you can hear the characters whisper better than the typical volume conversations. The background noises, including gunshots, cell phone ringtones and car engines, all can be heard without difficulty and don´t distract from any sound or action in the foreground. The film has English and Spanish subtitles should you want or need them. Despite the volume issues with dialogue, the surround sound is nice, especially for an organized crime film.

Extras:
Nothing super enthralling to be found. You can watch "The Narrows" with an audio commentary from director Velle and screenwriter Tatiana Blackington, or check out some behind the scenes interviews. Plus, you have the theatrical trailer. Considering the film is based on a book, I´d like to see an author´s interview to unpack the similarities and differences between the two. But, ´tis not to be.

A Final Word:
As an unconventional coming of age tale, "The Narrows" works. As a mob and crime drama, it functions. As a love story, it´s average. As a whole package, it´s just above average. Zegers gives a strong performance in the lead role, while Bush and D´Onofrio back him up adequately. The film is gritty and realistic, but feels too scripted and stereotypical. It´s worth watching for its entertainment factor, but isn´t well made enough to rank among other high quality titles in its genre.