This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

After years of service, a professional assassin (James Woods) has been let go by the corporate empire he helped build. Now he wants revenge in a tell-all book and forms an unusual partnership with best-selling author Dennis Meechum (Brian Dennehy).

For thoughts on Best Seller, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

Best Seller debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 which looks to be derived from an acceptable older master from MGM. It would have done wonders to freshen this one up a bit, but we are grateful the transfer avoids signs of excessive damage and digital tomfoolery. Compression artifacts and other digital anomalies do not pop up consistently as an issue. Black levels could be better when it comes to depth, as some moments struggle to gain the nuances of the shadows. Highlights hold up better on this spectrum, as you do not notice any whites clipped.

Colors seem well saturated with some impressive flourishes in the production design and some of the costumes. There are signs of faint nicks and scratches in portions, but nothing that ever feels out of the realm of expected age. The transfer looks a bit soft and undefined in a handful of shots, yet most of the movie looks acceptable. The picture maintains its natural film grain, but there are some density fluctuations at play. MGM has plucked another one out of their archives without a major effort to remaster, and the results are passable.

Audio Quality

MGM brings us this new Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that brings this world to life pretty well. The sounds of certain thrilling moments add a punch to the mix. The serviceable score complements the tone of the story, and it is pretty strong when it comes to fidelity. Dialogue holds up admirably, coming through clearly without being overshadowed by the music or other raucous activity. The environmental effects stay defined even in the most chaotic developments. There are a few hints of age-related weaknesses, but MGM delivers a more than listenable experience. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on the disc.

Final Thoughts

Best Seller is a passably entertaining crime tale which serves its purpose in the moment but is unlikely to stick with you for the long run. The pairing of James Woods and Brian Dennehy works pretty well to keep your attention in this routine ‘80s action template. The banter works well, but the actual narrative is a bit threadbare in the innovation department. MGM has brought this film to Blu-Ray with an okay A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. This is perfect fodder for dads looking for something to zone out to on the weekends.

Best Seller can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: MGM has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.