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Mr. Morgan's Last Love AKA Last Love
R2 - United Kingdom - Arrow Films Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (24th August 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** It's never too late to love life again. From the day Pauline (Clemence Poésy) lends him a helping hand on the bus, the stubborn and weary Matthew Morgan (Sir Michael Caine) stumbles back to happiness. Swept off his old feet by the young woman’s disarming vitality and unwavering optimism, the quiet teacher becomes an unlikely student of living. In their everyday adventures of walks through Paris, lunches in the park, and trips to the country, the odd couple explore the treasures of friendship, the comfort of companionship, the taste of romance – and the meaning of family. Through their mutual restoration of faith in people who care, Pauline embraces the idea of a new kind of family while Matthew finally reconnects with his estranged son Miles, who in turn finds himself deeply affected by the changes in his father.
Video
Independent British distributor Arrow Films have released the Michael Caine / Clemence Poésy drama "Mr. Morgan's Last Love" on to DVD using the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The transfer is anamorphic and above average, but does have a couple of unfortunate flaws. The main flaw which can be quite obvious at times, is the mount of aliasing that is present. This is especially noticeable around cupboards at 63:00, as Michael Caine walks around the empty room. When the camera is still, the aliasing lessens, but quickly picks up again, as soon as the camera is in motion. The other major flaw, is that blacks have a tendency to crush when they take up a large proportion of the screen, especially Justin Kirk's (Miles) black jumper when against a darkened doorway. Not all is bad though. Details are strong throughout, with facial close-ups looking great for the format, especially when in lighter outdoor Parisian environments. The details and dirty blonde colours in Clemence Poésy's hair, and the fabric of Caine's clothing also impresses. Lighter colours are vivid and add depth to the transfer, whilst the natural film grain is consistent and never noisy. There's no damage such as scratches or dirt present. The film is uncut, and runs 111:00.
Audio
There are two audio options included: - English/French Dolby Digital 5.1 - English/French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo For my viewing, I opted for the English/French Dolby Digital 5.1 track which provided a pleasant experience. The film is very much dialogue driven, but there are plenty of small and subtle environmental effects which add well to the ambience of the film. From a river flowing in the background, to the sound of people dancing around the dance studio, the track shows good use of both channel separation and directionality throughout. There are long periods which consist of nothing but dialogue (no score or effects), and these scenes are of course kept to the front speakers and are quite central. Dialogue is clear at all times, and there are no drop outs present. This is a good, solid track. English subtitles are provided for the French dialogue only (~5% of the total dialogue), and they are forced.
Extras
Start-up Trailers: - "A Thousand Times Good Night" (1:38) - "Love Is All You Need" (1:51)
Overall
Michael Caine once again shows why he is a true legend of cinema. Caine and Clemence Poésy are perfectly cast together, with both putting in fine performances. Despite the incessant aliasing, the A/V is above average. Just a shame the extras package is non-existent.
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