Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on Facebook and Twitter with your friends.
“Tammy”
WHAT: After she wrecks her car, is fired from her job and discovers that her husband has been cheating with their neighbor, all in the same day, Tammy (Melissa McCarthy) is desperate to leave town as quickly as possible, and her alcoholic grandmother Pearl (Susan Sarandon) – who has the two things Tammy needs most: a working car and some cash – decides to tag along. But when they end up driving the wrong way, the two women decide to make the most of the mishap in an attempt to patch up their troubled past.
WHY: Like pretty much anything that Melissa McCarthy does these days, your enjoyment of “Tammy” will depend entirely on how you feel about the actress as a performer, because for those who were already sick of her tedious, one-trick pony act after “Bridesmaids,” sitting through McCarthy’s latest movie is about as pleasant as a punch to the face. It’s bad enough that Tammy never shuts up, but director/co-writer Ben Falcone wants the audience to sympathize with her as well, even though she’s largely to blame for much of what happens over the course of the film. She’s not as mean-spirited as Diana from “Identity Thief,” nor as vulgar as Shannon from “The Heat,” but she’s not someone you’d necessarily want to be friends with either. So when the movie suddenly tries to manufacture a romance between Tammy and Mark Duplass’ nice-guy farmer in the final act, it doesn’t just feel unearned, but completely unrealistic considering he had zero interest in her only a few days prior. That initial meeting takes place shortly after an exceedingly confident Tammy brags about how men are attracted to her like “flies on shit,” and in that instant, McCarthy provides the perfect ammunition to describe her recent career, because that’s what this movie is – a big, steaming pile of shit.
EXTRAS: In addition to a short featurette about a family road trip that Melissa McCarthy and director Ben Falcone took following production on the film, there are four deleted scenes, some alternate takes and a gag reel.
FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
“Jersey Boys”
WHAT: The story of Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young) and the Four Seasons, from their early days as two-bit gangsters in New Jersey, to their rise to fame thanks to hits such as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man.”
WHY: Clint Eastwood is one of the last people you’d expect to direct a film adaptation of “Jersey Boys” – or any stage musical, for that matter – and it definitely shows, because it’s one of the worst stage-to-film adaptations in recent memory. In fact, the movie isn’t really a musical at all (save for the end medley/production number), instead going for more of a rockumentary feel that doesn’t translate very well to the screen. The main problem is that with the exception of the great catalog of songs, the film isn’t terribly interesting, barely scratching the surface with its “Behind the Music”-esque narrative. It’s rife with all the usual melodrama of a music biopic, but the characters are never fully developed, despite the fact that the film’s bloated 134 minute runtime gives plenty of opportunities to do just that. Vincent Piazza (as group member Tommy DeVito) and Christopher Walken (as Jersey mobster Gyp DeCarlo) both shine in supporting roles, but the rest of the acting is mediocre at best, particularly theater vets John Lloyd Young and Michael Lomenda. Eastwood was clearly having a senior moment when he agreed to do “Jersey Boys,” because not only is it one of the weakest movies in his oeuvre, but it fails to showcase why the Broadway production was such a huge hit.
EXTRAS: There are three featurettes in total, covering the movie’s journey from Broadway to the big screen, actor Donnie Kehr’s experience working with Christopher Walken, and filming the grand finale.
FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
“Getting On: The Complete First Season”
WHAT: After agreeing to serve as the temporary Director of Medicine in the Extended Care Unit at Mount Palms Hospital, Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf) is disheartened when the assignment is made permanent, relegated to work in the soul-crushing facility alongside new supervising nurse Patsy De La Serda (Mel Rodriguez), head nurse Dawn Forchette (Alex Borstein) and rookie nurse Denise “DiDi” Ortley (Niecy Nash).
WHY: Though it flew pretty far under the radar during its first season, this U.S. remake of the BBC series of the same name is one of the more underrated shows in HBO’s lineup. Every bit as much a satire as it is a drearily honest and sobering look at our country’s broken healthcare system, “Getting On” makes the typical black comedy seem lighthearted in comparison. Though the humor on the show can be a little too dry at times, and some of the in-jokes are only funny if you’ve worked in a hospital setting before, it features sharp writing and excellent performances from its cast. Laurie Metcalf, Alex Bornstein and Niecy Nash all deliver great work in their respective roles, while the guest stars (including Molly Shannon, Daniel Stern and a potty-mouthed June Squibb) provide many of the best moments. The only weak link is Mel Rodriguez’s sexually ambiguous Patsy De La Serda, whose character is so annoying (even if that’s kind of the point) that the show becomes infinitely less entertaining whenever he appears on screen. That’s not the only area where “Getting On” could improve, but although it’s not quite the hidden gem that it could have been for HBO, it’s definitely worth checking out for fans of likeminded comedies like “Derek.”
EXTRAS: The Blu-ray release includes some deleted scenes and a gag reel.
FINAL VERDICT: RENT
