Ten-year-old Harriet (Evan Rachel Wood, HBO’s “Westworld”) lives with her alcoholic mother and promiscuous sister in the family’s rundown motel. Harriet desperately wants to escape her difficult life and devises all sorts of outrageous plans to run away… until Ricky (Kevin Bacon, Footloose), comes to town. Now, she has found a soulmate in Ricky – a mentally challenged man – who shares her desire to get away to a new life. However, everyone around the two are suspicious of this unlikely friendship and are determined to put a stop to it.
Academy Award® Winning* actor Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People) makes his directorial debut with an all-star supporting cast that includes Mary Stuart Masterson (Benny & Joon) and Academy Award® Nominee** Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull) in this heartwarming story of an unlikely but unforgettable friendship.
For thoughts on Digging To China, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Digging To China makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of MVD Entertainment as a part of the Marquee Collection with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio that appears to be derived from an older master that is in decent shape. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches do pop up, but overall clarity and detail is impressive given the quality of the source material. The presentation is enjoyable throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being quite strong. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with only minor instances of seeming a bit loose. The picture maintains a nice depth even in long shots, and colors are well saturated within the greens and brown of the natural world. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of crush. This presentation is a really nice effort that rescues the film from the land of standard definition.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a LPCM 2.0 mix that features all of the sounds of the film quite well. This is a film that utilizes its soundtrack quite effectively in a way that makes the film really come alive. It is presented with a great clarity and a pleasing fidelity as it comes through the room. The dialogue holds up wonderfully, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from automobile noises to the rain. The track avoids most instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film in an impressive manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Trailers: The nearly two-and-a-half minute trailer for Digging To China is provided here. There are also trailers provided for Getting Even With Dad, Where The Red Fern Grows, The Point and Savannah Smiles.
Final Thoughts
Digging To China is a film with many heartwarming elements, but the way in which Kevin Bacon plays his character does not hold up as well in a modern light. Those who can get past such things will likely find this to be an enjoyable time, especially thanks to the vibrant performance from young Evan Rachel Wood. Director Timothy Hutton does a fine job in his debut behind the camera, proving to have a good command of his ensemble even if his presentation is routine. The new Blu-Ray for MVD Entertainment is pretty solid in its A/V presentation but there is next to nothing in terms of special features. If you know what you are getting into this one and it still sounds enjoyable, it is worth a watch. Recommended
Digging To China is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: MVD 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.