Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together in this delicate and deeply moving story about the connections between adults and children and the past and the future, from writer-director Mike Mills.
For in-depth thoughts on C’mon C’mon, please see my colleague Cassie Brown’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
C’mon C’mon comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Lionsgate with a stellar AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. The striking black-and-white photography has some nice contrast and natural gradients. Facial features appear very natural across the entire cast with even the most minor details on display. The level of detail in this presentation remains as strong as ever, as all of the subtle aspects of the outfits and production design are razor sharp. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to a nice amount of detail in shadows. The bright whites do not fall victim to any blooming in this presentation. There are no egregious instances of aliasing or compression artifacts detectable here. This Blu-Ray is simply gorgeous as Lionsgate continues to impress with its output.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is surprisingly active. The track really comes alive with the environmental sounds both in the outdoor material along with the ambiance of certain interiors. The musical cues are showcased impeccably here with an enveloping use of the surround speakers. The score from Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National fame aids this narrative immensely, and it is showcased here beautifully. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being overpowered by the environmental effects or the music. The sound design is just as precisely thought-out as the on screen visuals with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. Activity in the low end is not a notable part of this mix, but it does add some texture. This is a stellar audio presentation for a film that fittingly deals with capturing audio as a plot point.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer / Director Mike Mills provides a really thoughtful commentary track which explores the personal nature of the story, the importance of location throughout the narrative, the desire to have an underlying documentary facet to the action, the overarching themes they were trying to convey, the casting of the film, shooting with non-actor kids, and much more. This one adds some enjoyable background information that makes you love this film even more.
- Making Of C’mon C’mon: An eight-minute featurette is provided which has the cast and crew talking about the story, incorporating real-life elements into the narrative, the characters and what the performers brought to their roles, Mills’ approach to directing, the collaborative nature of the project, the impact of the documentary aspects on the mood of the set and more.
Final Thoughts
C’mon C’mon is a tender and genuinely emotional movie which will certainly connect with parents, but will also strike a chord with anyone longing for human connection. Director Mike Mills guides his movie with such an empathetic hand in a way that allows every performer, professional or not, to deliver something magical. Joaquin Phoenix follows up his Oscar-winning role with something more natural and impactful, and both Gaby Hoffman and Woody Norman deliver two of the best performances of the year. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a wonderful A/V presentation and a couple of special features. While it did not get the recognition it deserved during the latest awards season, it remains one of the most rewarding films of the year. Highly Recommended
C’mon C’mon will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 12, 2022. This film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
