![Hesher [Blu-ray]](/wp_content/uploads/2011/10/Hesher_BD_Sleeve_2D.jpg "Hesher [Blu-ray]")
HESHER (2011, Blu-ray released October 18, 2011 – MSRP CDN$ 39.99)
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I was disappointed in Hesher not because of the kind of a film it is but because of the film I thought it would be. Kind of ridiculous, I know. The merits of the film itself itself might be arguable but the quality of the Blu-ray disc is beyond reproach.
- “Loud music. Pornography. Burning things to the ground. These are a few of Hesher’s favourite things. And they are what Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) brings into the lives of TJ (Devin Brochu) and his father Paul (Rainn Wilson) when he takes up residence in their garage uninvited. Grief-stricken by the loss of TJ’s mother in a car accident, Paul can’t muster the strength to evict the strange squatter, and soon the long-haired, tattooed Hesher becomes a fixture in the household. Like a force of nature, Hesher’s anarchy shakes the family out of their grief and helps them embrace life once more. “
I think Hesher is a decent little movie but the marketing of the film, the packaging of the disc, its menus and everything about it set me up for some kind of “Hilarious” “aggro comedy” (both quotes from the cover of the Blu-ray) not the sullen family drama that it actually is. I get it, though. I get how Hesher breathes new life into the family with his thrashing guitar solos, foul language and penchant for setting things ablaze. And I get how that might seem audacious and, possibly even hilarious to some. But taken as part of the narrative – a slow moving, depressing examination of a family caught in a rut – Hesher’s antics simply provide balance. Without him, the film would be a quiet two hours of mumbling depression and death. So a burning car here and some sophomoric graffiti there just keeps things moving toward the very inevitable conclusion. Like I said, it’s a decent film but it doesn’t offer too many surprises. Just a nice family drama with character and a handful of exceptional performances.
Hesher looks pretty great on Blu-ray, given its low budget origins. There are a couple of moments of noticeable artifacting but outside of that, this is a very detailed and source-accurate tranfer that’s very pleasing to watch. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is surprisingly robust for a film of this nature. Hesher’s loud metal music is given an exceptional amount of dynamic range and though surrounds aren’t overly active here, dialogue is always clean and clear up the middle.
The Blu-ray disc from Alliance (the Canadian release I had the opportunity to review – the US version from Lionsgate was released on September 13th and is virtually identical in every way) sports a pretty nice selection of special features including almost half an hour of outtakes that I found every bit as enjoyable as the film itself. Possibly even more enjoyable. This is “behind-the-scenes” stuff here – flubbed lines, improvisation, jokes and gags. Watching it will give you a much deeper appreciation for the film. There’s also around 7-minutes of deleted scenes and a proper ‘behind the scenes’ EPK style featurette that’s just a little longer and features a few decent little interviews with cast and crew. The disc is rounded out with a quick look at the “Air Traffic” that made some scenes tough to shoot, a sketch gallery and some trailers.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Behind the Scenes
- Trailer
- Sketch Gallery
- Air Traffic
- Teaser Channels
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