| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
| Resources |
|
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
Proposal, The
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
I hardly ever expect a great deal from titles that go straight-to-video. They didn't reach theaters for a reason, and some of them that I've seen lately have been beyond what I would usually call bad. Occasionally, a film slips through the cracks that while not excellent, still does provide an above-average viewing experience. "The Proposal" is one of those instances - not without some concerns, but a respectable little crime drama.
Nick Moran plays Terry Martin, an undercover cop who has been posing as part of a crime ring, but things are becoming thin and he's afraid that his cover is going to be blown. When it becomes apparent that he's going to need a "wife", he very reluctantly takes on a new partner Susan Reese (Jennifer Esposito of "Spin City"). Although he's afraid of being caught, he's even more afraid that this new partner will ruin things and get both of them in deep trouble with the criminal head Simon Bacig (Stephen Lang).
The performances are a bit mixed. Moran doesn't do a particularly interesting job as Terry, making the character unlikable and not very engaging. His character arguing with Esposito's gets dull after a while, and their romance isn't very believable. Esposito is a bit better - she has a nice mixture of tough and warm that works well for the character. Last, but not least, Lang is a solid villian. The picture has decent production values, a solid screenplay and decent direction; for all of the flaws, the picture still remains watchable as I was at least curious at where the film's twists and turns were going.
Not a bad picture - the film could have been more successful thant it is, but in the realm of direct-to-video features, it proved to be a mildly entertaining little "who-to-trust?" thriller.
The DVD
VIDEO: "The Proposal" is presented in the film's original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and it is also anamorphic. It's not one of the most remarkable visual presentations I've seen from the studio, but it's fairly strong work for a lower-budget feature. Sharpness and detail are generally pretty good; most of the movie looks sharp and well-defined, but some softness occasionally creeps in.
There were some slight concerns that popped up now and again throughout the picture. Print flaws were limited to just a couple of minor speckles during the course of the picture. There is also a little bit of edge enhancement and a couple of minor instances of pixelation. None of these problems really distracted me much at all.
This is definitely not a colorful picture - the film uses a subdued color palette that looks accurate here, but not visually too interesting. Overall, this is an enjoyable presentation - no more, no less.
SOUND: The film is presented in Dolby 2.0; it doesn't really provide anything much the way of activity, mainly chosing to stay dialogue-driven. The film's music does play a decent role in the proceedings, and that's really the only element beyond dialogue that opens up the film much. Quality remains pleasant, and dialogue is clear and clean. Does its job, no more - no less.
MENUS:: Menus are non-animated, with very basic images serving as backgrounds. For example, the main menu simply re-uses the front cover.
EXTRAS:
Commentary: This is a low-key commentary from director Richard Gale, who gives a good discussion of what it is like to helm a low-budget thriller like this one, talking about how some elements of the feature were done for little money. The director generally takes us on a tour of the film, chatting about his opinions of the story and characters as well as telling us stories about what happened during filming. There are a few little slow points, but for those who are interested in more details about the film, the commentary is worth a listen.
Also: Short "making-of" featurette, trailer.
Final Thoughts: Again, although it certainly wasn't perfect, "The Proposal" is above-average for a direct-to-video feature with decent performances and a fairly good screenplay. Although the $32.99 price tag is definitely overpriced, fans of crime dramas might find it a decent rental. It's also nice to see that the studio has decided to try to make their smaller titles more worthwhile by adding some additional features on this release, where they usually do nothing for their straight-to-DVD titles.
I hardly ever expect a great deal from titles that go straight-to-video. They didn't reach theaters for a reason, and some of them that I've seen lately have been beyond what I would usually call bad. Occasionally, a film slips through the cracks that while not excellent, still does provide an above-average viewing experience. "The Proposal" is one of those instances - not without some concerns, but a respectable little crime drama.
Nick Moran plays Terry Martin, an undercover cop who has been posing as part of a crime ring, but things are becoming thin and he's afraid that his cover is going to be blown. When it becomes apparent that he's going to need a "wife", he very reluctantly takes on a new partner Susan Reese (Jennifer Esposito of "Spin City"). Although he's afraid of being caught, he's even more afraid that this new partner will ruin things and get both of them in deep trouble with the criminal head Simon Bacig (Stephen Lang).
The performances are a bit mixed. Moran doesn't do a particularly interesting job as Terry, making the character unlikable and not very engaging. His character arguing with Esposito's gets dull after a while, and their romance isn't very believable. Esposito is a bit better - she has a nice mixture of tough and warm that works well for the character. Last, but not least, Lang is a solid villian. The picture has decent production values, a solid screenplay and decent direction; for all of the flaws, the picture still remains watchable as I was at least curious at where the film's twists and turns were going.
Not a bad picture - the film could have been more successful thant it is, but in the realm of direct-to-video features, it proved to be a mildly entertaining little "who-to-trust?" thriller.
The DVD
VIDEO: "The Proposal" is presented in the film's original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and it is also anamorphic. It's not one of the most remarkable visual presentations I've seen from the studio, but it's fairly strong work for a lower-budget feature. Sharpness and detail are generally pretty good; most of the movie looks sharp and well-defined, but some softness occasionally creeps in.
There were some slight concerns that popped up now and again throughout the picture. Print flaws were limited to just a couple of minor speckles during the course of the picture. There is also a little bit of edge enhancement and a couple of minor instances of pixelation. None of these problems really distracted me much at all.
This is definitely not a colorful picture - the film uses a subdued color palette that looks accurate here, but not visually too interesting. Overall, this is an enjoyable presentation - no more, no less.
SOUND: The film is presented in Dolby 2.0; it doesn't really provide anything much the way of activity, mainly chosing to stay dialogue-driven. The film's music does play a decent role in the proceedings, and that's really the only element beyond dialogue that opens up the film much. Quality remains pleasant, and dialogue is clear and clean. Does its job, no more - no less.
MENUS:: Menus are non-animated, with very basic images serving as backgrounds. For example, the main menu simply re-uses the front cover.
EXTRAS:
Commentary: This is a low-key commentary from director Richard Gale, who gives a good discussion of what it is like to helm a low-budget thriller like this one, talking about how some elements of the feature were done for little money. The director generally takes us on a tour of the film, chatting about his opinions of the story and characters as well as telling us stories about what happened during filming. There are a few little slow points, but for those who are interested in more details about the film, the commentary is worth a listen.
Also: Short "making-of" featurette, trailer.
Final Thoughts: Again, although it certainly wasn't perfect, "The Proposal" is above-average for a direct-to-video feature with decent performances and a fairly good screenplay. Although the $32.99 price tag is definitely overpriced, fans of crime dramas might find it a decent rental. It's also nice to see that the studio has decided to try to make their smaller titles more worthwhile by adding some additional features on this release, where they usually do nothing for their straight-to-DVD titles.
|
| Popular Reviews |
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Release List | Reviews | Shop | Newsletter | Forum | DVD Giveaways | Blu-Ray | Advertise |
|
Copyright 2024 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices 
| |||||||