In his mid-30s, Abe (Jordan Gelber) clings to the trappings of his adolescence, including the extensive collection of toys and action figures adorning his boyhood bedroom. Still living with his parents Jackie (Christopher Walken) and Phyllis (Mia Farrow), Abe works for his increasingly disappointed Dad and spends evenings ruthlessly trouncing his Mom at backgammon. His older brother Richard’s (Justin Bartha) success as a California doctor only feeds Abe’s resentment and rage at his family over his failures.

When Abe meets Miranda (Selma Blair), whose personal and professional disasters have sent her scrambling back to the safety of her parents’ suburban home, he sees what he thinks is a chance at true love. Abe throws himself into pursuing the overmedicated Miranda, convincing her to marry him after a whirlwind courtship. But, as the couple haltingly prepares to start a new life together, the film swerves into Abe’s subconscious, where his crippling self-doubt and dark fears begin to undermine his nearly realized dream of a fuller life.

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Video Quality

Dark Horse arrives on Blu-Ray in a fetching 1080p presentation that translates the look of the film well. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray in 2012 by Virgil Films, but we do not own nor have seen the disc to offer comparisons. Skin tones are favorably detailed and natural all around with distinct characteristics like stubble and age lines coming through. The transfer captures the modern aesthetic with the necessary amount of tact and care. It coaxes texture out of the clothing and production design elements, adding depth to the picture. There is an agreeable exhibition of suburban vibrancy throughout with bold colors appearing with commendable saturation. Highlights stay firm with no signs of blooming, and the black levels avoid any crush or compression artifacts. Brainstorm Media has done a terrific job with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a solid DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that easily executes everything it needs to. The focus of the film is the dialogue filled with dark humor, and every word comes through clearly without ever being drowned out by competing sounds. The soundtrack adds a bit of texture to the low end, but mostly it delivers an easy listening experience with ideal fidelity. Environmental flourishes create a lived-in world with a lot of personality. The sound design is not overly ambitious, but elements are balanced perfectly in the mix. The audio portion of the disc is a winner. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Interview with Writer/Director Todd Solondz: A new 13-minute interview with the filmmaker in which he discusses how he developed the story, why he didn’t want to cast a famous name in the lead role, finding new angles in a familiar genre, other works he drew inspiration from, and so much more.

Original Trailer (2:27)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is provided featuring an essay by film critic A.S. Hamrah that analyzes the movie from multiple angles.

Final Thoughts

Dark Horse is Todd Solondz at his most accessible, which is saying something considering how strange and acerbic the movie often is. As with all of his movies, the film is darkly funny, but there is also an underlying sweetness to it that manages to not get drowned out by the more thistly elements. The performers all do a nice job of bringing these characters to life, even if we would have liked to seen more from Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow. The movie is far less controversial than many in Solondz’s filmography, so it hasn’t gotten the same attention as other works, but it remains a strong entry from this unique creative figure. Brainstorm Media has released a Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and a few welcome supplements. Recommended

Dark Horse 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.