Movie:
Sweet November, originally released earlier this year, was based on the little known 1968 film of the same name. Directed by Pat O'Conner, the film stars Keanu Reeves (Nelson) and Charlize Theron (Sara), with Jason Isaacs (Chaz), Greg Germann (Vince), and Liam Aiken (Abner). O'Conner previously directed Inventing the Abbotts, Circle of Friends, and others, while Reeves and Theron previously starred in 1997's Devil's Advocate together as husband and wife.

Sara Deever is an eccentric, charming woman who, every month, chooses one man to help for one month's time. When she meets Nelson Moss, a workaholic advertising executive, she knows that she's found her November. After some convincing and losing his job, Nelson reluctantly agrees to let her try and help him. During the course of the month, Nelson and Sara begin to fall in love - but will her secrets interfere with the love blossoming between them?

I missed Sweet November in the theater, but I was looking forward to seeing the film on DVD. I must say that I really enjoyed the film, though it is sad, and look forward to revisiting it again in the future. Reeves and Theron both give great performances, and the supporting actors, Isaacs in particular, do a great job as well. At times, the movie does feel slightly long, in part due to several sub-stories that exist within the main framework of the film. However, I'm glad that none of these stories were cut, as the film on the whole is excellent.

Picture:
Sweet November is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is crisp and sharp throughout, with no print defects that I detected. Colors in the film are well saturated throughout: most of the film features vibrant colors, but in some parts of the movie, the colors are intentionally muted slightly and tinted. Flesh tones are natural throughout and blacks are deep and rich.

Sound:
Sweet November is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in both English and French. I was impressed by the 5.1 track, as I really didn't expect the film to utilize the surrounds as much as it did. From the very beginning of the film, the surrounds are used effectively and quite often for directionality, ambient noises, and the film's terrific score. Dialogue throughout the film is crisp and clean, with no distortion that I could detect. Optional subtitles are available in English and French.

Extras:
The main extra is the nine and a half minute long featurette titled, "Sweet November: From the Heart." Its mainly promotional, though to be honest, it gives away quite a lot of the movie, and I would recommend watching it only after you've seen the film. It features quite a lot of clips from the film, as well as interview clips with Reeves, Theron, Isaacs, O'Conner, and Deborah Aal, one of the film's producers. While mainly focused on discussing the storyline, it does give a bit of insight as to why some of the actors were cast in the film. Other extras include the film's theatrical trailer and select filmographies for Reeves, Theron, and O'Conner.

Summary:
Sweet November is a great romantic drama that will appeal to fans of the genre or the lead actors. Warner's DVD provides the film a great presentation that will certainly please fans of the film. Highly Recommended!