Daisy, a young woman who works what has been called “the worst job in the world” – purging overtly hateful, sexual, and violent content from social media – and ends up fundamentally changed by her encounters with the darkest corners of the internet.
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Video Quality
American Sweatshop comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that looks very pleasing in HD. The naturalistic, borderline cool color palette comes through with a deep saturation that adds complexity to a world that feels a bit lifeless. Even when the film is not taking place at night, darkness is oppressive in the overall mood of the story. Black levels are deep and do not struggle with any crush or compression artifacts. Highlights are similarly handled well with no signs of blooming. Skin tones are detailed and natural across the ensemble. The transfer captures the mostly interior settings with the ideal amount of care. It reveals texture within the fabrics and production design that adds desirable depth to the picture. Brainstorm Media has another winner with this release.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a first-rate DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that consistently comes through for the audience. Dialogue emerges clearly without ever being clipped by competing sounds. Environmental flourishes flesh out the soundscape to give the world a bit more personality, such as the typing and subtle bustling within Daisy’s workplace. The sound design is not overly aggressive, but elements emanate perfectly in the mix. Music flows through the room when it needs to with a memorable presence. The soundtrack, along with a few stray tense developments, adds texture to the low end. The audio portion of the disc is firing on all cylinders. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Making Of Featurette: A six-minute piece in which you observe fly-on-the-wall footage of the production of the film.
- Panel Discussion Featuring Director Uta Briesewitz and Producer Jason Sosnoff: A nearly 26-minute virtual discussion with members of a workers’ union and the film’s production team in which they discuss the motivation for making the film, how the themes resonate with real-world realities, the care that went into getting certain details correct, and more.
- Deleted Scenes: A ten-minute selection of unused footage is provided.
- Festival Trailer (2:09)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:09)
Final Thoughts
American Sweatshop puts a spotlight on a modern career that chips away at the soul of whoever is brave enough to embark upon it. It speaks to larger issues that impact anyone who is regularly exploring the internet, as we are all subjecting ourselves to horrific images and ideas, either intentionally or unintentionally, that fundamentally impact our mental well-being. Lili Reinhart grounds the story with a calming presence, even when the script indulges in some heightened narrative beats that seem a bit out of step with the rest of the film. The movie colors more outside the boundaries of realism as the story progresses, but it succeeds in provoking and entertaining more than it doesn’t. Brainstorm Media has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a few decent supplements. Recommended
American Sweatshop is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Brainstorm Media & OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
