...doesn’t play out like your traditional thriller would.
Like the films of Dogme 95, Arnold shoots "Red Road" using a handheld camera, natural lighting and real locations. There´s an inherent intimacy that comes from using these techniques in making the film. We feel as if we are right there, up close and personal in the lives of these characters. The voyeuristic themes of "Red Road" come two-fold. We watch Jackie just as she watches everyone else. Some scenes really have an uncomfortable aura about them as if we´re intruding upon the characters. She´s definitely shown a knack for capturing the desperate lives of the working class and their urban lives.
VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This is a grim and gritty film and so is the picture quality. The transfer is pretty clean, but the colors are very downplayed. The film has a very cold look with emphasis on blacks and grays.
AUDIO:
The audio is presented on three tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and Dolby Digital 2.0. The film also includes optional English subtitles which are incredibly handy as it was hard to understand many of the actors´ thick Scottish accents.
EXTRAS:
The main extra on the DVD is Andrea Arnold´s Academy Award winning short, "Wasp." The film stars Nathalie Press as a poor, single mother of three girls and a baby boy. She pretends to be only babysitting the children when she runs into an amorous ex-boyfriend. "Wasp" follows her as she meets up with him at the local pub while leaving her kids outside. Again, Arnold deftly portrays the lower-class lifestyle. At the same time, she offers no judgment towards the young mother. She won´t be Mommy of the Year, but she´s not nearly as terrible as say, Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone." This is a tough, heartbreaking piece.
Aside from "Wasp", the only other extras included are the film´s theatrical trailer along with trailers for other Tartan releases. The DVD comes with an insert containing an interview with the director as she discusses the film and the Advance Party movement.
I rated the extras a 7 because of "Wasp." That number is based purely on quality and not quantity.
FILM VALUE:
The cover art calls "Red Road" the best thriller of 2007. However, the film doesn´t play out like your traditional thriller would. This is not a movie based on a John Grisham novel. This is also a very slow moving film that one shouldn't tackle unless they have a wealth of patience. "Red Road" is a somber, minimalistic film in the vein of Ken Loach. Arnold presents no easy answers or any pat and dry conclusions. As Clyde tells Jackie, "Shit happens every day. That´s life." The film could have used gotten another go around in the editing room. This being her first feature film, Arnold makes a common mistake in not knowing when and where to trim down her film. Cutting out a few superfluous sections and tightening up the pace could have done wonders for "Red Road." In its current state, the film feels like she was trying to pad out the running time. All in all, this is an impressive debut for Andrea Arnold.
VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This is a grim and gritty film and so is the picture quality. The transfer is pretty clean, but the colors are very downplayed. The film has a very cold look with emphasis on blacks and grays.
AUDIO:
The audio is presented on three tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and Dolby Digital 2.0. The film also includes optional English subtitles which are incredibly handy as it was hard to understand many of the actors´ thick Scottish accents.
EXTRAS:
The main extra on the DVD is Andrea Arnold´s Academy Award winning short, "Wasp." The film stars Nathalie Press as a poor, single mother of three girls and a baby boy. She pretends to be only babysitting the children when she runs into an amorous ex-boyfriend. "Wasp" follows her as she meets up with him at the local pub while leaving her kids outside. Again, Arnold deftly portrays the lower-class lifestyle. At the same time, she offers no judgment towards the young mother. She won´t be Mommy of the Year, but she´s not nearly as terrible as say, Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone." This is a tough, heartbreaking piece.
Aside from "Wasp", the only other extras included are the film´s theatrical trailer along with trailers for other Tartan releases. The DVD comes with an insert containing an interview with the director as she discusses the film and the Advance Party movement.
I rated the extras a 7 because of "Wasp." That number is based purely on quality and not quantity.
FILM VALUE:
The cover art calls "Red Road" the best thriller of 2007. However, the film doesn´t play out like your traditional thriller would. This is not a movie based on a John Grisham novel. This is also a very slow moving film that one shouldn't tackle unless they have a wealth of patience. "Red Road" is a somber, minimalistic film in the vein of Ken Loach. Arnold presents no easy answers or any pat and dry conclusions. As Clyde tells Jackie, "Shit happens every day. That´s life." The film could have used gotten another go around in the editing room. This being her first feature film, Arnold makes a common mistake in not knowing when and where to trim down her film. Cutting out a few superfluous sections and tightening up the pace could have done wonders for "Red Road." In its current state, the film feels like she was trying to pad out the running time. All in all, this is an impressive debut for Andrea Arnold.
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