A 93-minute snooze button.
The film's only major twist comes roughly an hour into the action, when the idea of the perfect dream girl starts to lose a little of its luster for Gary, and Dora starts to look a little better. But apart from that twist, everything else is so obvious that there isn't a surprise to be had here.
"The Good Night" is a low-budget independent film which reportedly had a budget of just $15 million, and a limited U.S. release (just four screens???), grossing just $22,165 after a month. That doesn't surprise me. "The Good Night" isn't the kind of film that would generate a lot of excited "buzz." It's not awful. But by the time you sit through the movie, you start to feel about your life the way that poor Gary has about his own. Bring on the dreamscape!
Video:
Though the cover says this is mastered in High Definition, it's one of the roughest-looking films I've reviewed in a while. There's graininess throughout, and it's not slight at all. It's a fairly large, porous, and noticeable graininess that's all the more noticeable because it's the source of "nervousness" as well. There's a constant shimmer to the grain that detracts from the viewing experience, especially if you've just watched a REAL Hi Def film. "The Good Night" is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.
Audio:
The audio is an English Dolby Digital 5.1, and while it's better than the video, the sound isn't so crisp and full that you take notice. It's mostly talk and cheesy music, and when the music plays, the audio track sounds positively vintage, rather than contemporary, with a kind of flatness that pretty much characterizes the whole film.
Extras:
Paltrow isn't terribly articulate, and so you have to feel for him as he struggles to say things of relevance on the commentary track--the single bonus feature. There are gaps, there are lots of "ummms" from Paltrow, and the level of information isn't going to astound anyone. Sub-average, I'm afraid.
Bottom Line:
"The Good Night" is a slow-moving dramedy that never seems to find its own identity. There's nothing to set it apart from other films and not nearly enough energy to sustain viewers for an hour and a half. It's a 93-minute snooze button.
"The Good Night" is a low-budget independent film which reportedly had a budget of just $15 million, and a limited U.S. release (just four screens???), grossing just $22,165 after a month. That doesn't surprise me. "The Good Night" isn't the kind of film that would generate a lot of excited "buzz." It's not awful. But by the time you sit through the movie, you start to feel about your life the way that poor Gary has about his own. Bring on the dreamscape!
Video:
Though the cover says this is mastered in High Definition, it's one of the roughest-looking films I've reviewed in a while. There's graininess throughout, and it's not slight at all. It's a fairly large, porous, and noticeable graininess that's all the more noticeable because it's the source of "nervousness" as well. There's a constant shimmer to the grain that detracts from the viewing experience, especially if you've just watched a REAL Hi Def film. "The Good Night" is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.
Audio:
The audio is an English Dolby Digital 5.1, and while it's better than the video, the sound isn't so crisp and full that you take notice. It's mostly talk and cheesy music, and when the music plays, the audio track sounds positively vintage, rather than contemporary, with a kind of flatness that pretty much characterizes the whole film.
Extras:
Paltrow isn't terribly articulate, and so you have to feel for him as he struggles to say things of relevance on the commentary track--the single bonus feature. There are gaps, there are lots of "ummms" from Paltrow, and the level of information isn't going to astound anyone. Sub-average, I'm afraid.
Bottom Line:
"The Good Night" is a slow-moving dramedy that never seems to find its own identity. There's nothing to set it apart from other films and not nearly enough energy to sustain viewers for an hour and a half. It's a 93-minute snooze button.
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