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Heavy
R4 - Australia - Accent Review written by and copyright: Rob Hunt (29th June 2005). |
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The Film
 The film's main storyline is centered around the character of Victor (Pruitt Taylor Vince) - a quiet, well built man who keeps himself to himself and is very shy. His life is changed when the restaurant/diner he works in obtains a new employee, called Callie (Liv Tyler). Callie's presence prompts Victor to reassess his views on life and what he wants. I was not expecting a great deal from this film when i first read about it, but when I watched it I was pleasantly surprised. The performance by Pruitt Taylor Vince (Victor) is both absorbing and at times painful to watch. For the most part he plays his role well and succinctly, but during the scenes of great emotional intensity he is really into the character of Victor, and his acting is outstanding. The rest of the cast also turn in very good performances too, but Victor's character really steals the show. The music used is both remorseful and haunting - contributing well to the overall scenes of emotion. For a film like this the music plays a very important part, as it is pretty much the only sound (excluding dialogue) for the entire film. I felt that it was used very well as such, and enhanced my viewing of the film. The cinematography, whilst by no means the film's strongest area, is still fairly impressive - especially the careful and creative techniques used when Victor is daydreaming. The portrayal of the colour and vigour and emptiness of the outside world is also used to great effect - highlighting the differences between Victor's life and his aspirations; offering him a glimpse of what his life could be if he should so choose it to be. The writing and directing by James Mangold is subtle and yet poignant - touching upon issues that are rarely heard or talked about, but without forcing it upon the viewer. The ending was well written too, in it's ambiguity, and solidifies the overall feeling that the director was really passionate about the story - and that he told it a certain way for a specific purpose.
Video
Accent has provided a 1.78:1 Anamorphic transfer for this film, and for the most part it's very good. There is no edge enhancement present in the picture and the image is fairly sharp overall. Rather annoyingly this transfer is spoilt at points throughout the film where the "cigarette burn" used in changing film reels at the cinema is evident, which is rather offputting to say the least. Whilst for whatever reason this may not have been avoidable, it is very distracting when it does crop up (four or five times).
Audio
An English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track is your only audio option. This film is not one which I think would benefit from a 5.1 -or even Surround of any kind- workout, as it is used predominantly for dialogue and music. The track was well balance and used fairly effectively (given it's limited capacity). Dialogue was clear throughout and the music was given the attention it deserved.
Extras
Sadly the only extras on the disc are a series of Accent Trailers. On the plus side they are for a series of (in my opinion) fantastic and worthwhile films that should definitely be checked out. They are: a trailer for My Flesh & Blood (running 2:07), a trailer for Bus 174 (running 1:03), a restoration trailer for "M" (running 2:11) and a trailer for La Belle Noiseuse (running 1:13).
Overall
"Heavy" is a heart-wrenching drama using a storyline that is rarely seen in films. Director James Mangold has created a unique debut feature that has many strong points and stunning acting by the cast. Pruitt Taylor Vince really shines as the main character, and portrays emotion and feelings very well indeed. His performance alone is recommended. I was disappointed not to have seen any extras relating to the actual film itself though, and upset to find that there are no subtitles on the DVD.
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