Mark Pelllngton’s adaptation of Dan Wakefield’s seminal novel about a young man coming of age in the 1950s is a timeless story of freedom and repression, friendship and family, sex and love, and the psychological and spiritual struggle to be true to one’s self even if it means going against society’s expectations.

Sonny (Jeremy Davies) and Gunner (Ben Affleck) form an unlikely friendship in the days following the Korean War. Gunner sets out to show Sonny what he’s missing in life – namely, girls. Sonny realizes that a whole other life lies outside the confines of his small town.

Originally released in 1997, the newly re-edited and restored version of GOING ALL THE WAY completely upends the original cut, hews closer to the source novel, and cements the film as one of the most aesthetically fresh and thematically fascinating films of the 90s, as well as a testament to the ever-evolving possibilities of cinematic rediscovery.

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Video Quality

Going All The Way debuts on Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 from a restoration of the best available elements. Not only is this the first time the film is hitting Blu-Ray, but this is the first time the new Director’s Edit that runs nearly 30 minutes longer can be viewed at home. The original theatrical version is not available as a part of this package. As filmmaker Mark Pellington notes in the accompanying documentary, the original material for this feature was nowhere to be found, so this reconstruction stands as the best we can probably ever hope for on home entertainment. You have to keep these issues in mind, but the release largely looks very nice.

The remaster provides a rich viewing experience for the material originally found in the theatrical cut, especially. The natural film grain of the presentation is carefully retained and resolves faithfully. You will not find signs of swarming or clumping grain. The source has been cleaned up to eliminate most of the nicks, specks, and scratches, but some lingering damage and artifacts remain. Clarity and detail are impressive in the original material, and skin tones are natural with good texture in closeup. The new material that makes up the Director’s Edit is a bit more inconsistent with some of it looking closer to workprint quality. The effect is jarring at first, but the film holds up more than it doesn’t. The colors are admirably saturated outside of this footage. The same can be said for the black levels, which turn milky when new footage is introduced. There are definite drawbacks to the visual consistency, but most will be pleased to get this more well-rounded restoration of the film.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a new DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and an LPCM 2.0 stereo track that both execute the sonic ambitions with great care. Dialogue comes through clearly as it plays well with the environmental elements. Even when the score gets more lively or certain tunes blare through, you can still hear what is being said without issue. The score accompanies the visuals on screen favorably with no hint of weakness. Any previous age-related shortcomings or distortion has been eliminated for a favorable listening experience. Every element comes alive as well as you would hope. The film has been provided with a lovely audio experience. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Making Of – A Three-Part Documentary by Richard Schenkman: A mammoth three-part documentary totaling 3 hours and 6 minutes is provided featuring interviews with director Mark Pellington, costume designer Arianne Phillips, cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, casting director Ellen Chenoweth, author/screenwriter Dan Wakeﬁeld, producer Tom Gorai, first assistant director William Clark, editor Leo Trombetta, line producer Mark Lipson, assistant to director Lee Harmon, original re-recording mixer/new sound designer Stanley Kastner, new music composer Peter Adams, Fotokem’s Christian Straub, video editor Joe D’Augustine, and digital intermediate colorist Mark Todd Osborne, and actors Lesley Ann Warren and Amy Locane. Archival interviews with other cast members are also inserted into the new release. The documentary is divided into explorations of the adaptation, the production of the film, and the restoration efforts. This is thoroughly entertaining and the type of documentary that every film fan hopes their favorite movie receives. In an interesting development, we believe this is the first time we have seen an interview filmed in a prison with an incarcerated inmate (you will have to watch to find out).

An Interview with Dan Wakefield: The full 21-minute interview with author/screenwriter Dan Wakeﬁeld conducted by director Mark Pellington in which he discusses his inspiration behind the novel, his early career as a journalist, his influences, his thoughts on the movie, and more.

Press Reel: A 41-minute press reel is provided of local and national news programs including Siskel & Ebert and Entertainment Tonight. This provides a unique look at the thoughts on the movie at the time through different perspectives.

Nick Offerman Callback: A 19-minute audition tape of the now ubiquitous performer that is a fun addition.

Deleted Scenes: There are 38 minutes of unused material provided here.

Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Going All The Way is a pretty decent ‘90s drama that has a lot of ideas about expectations and finding your place in the world, but it never quite crosses over into “classic” territory. What hinders this one substantially is the way in which it sidelines its female characters and leaves you knowing very little about them save for an exception or two. Otherwise, we mostly enjoy this messy journey of discovery thanks to strong performances and a good sense of pace, even with the new extended runtime that adds some engaging material. Oscilloscope Laboratories has presented a Blu-Ray that features a decent A/V presentation and an incredible assortment of special features. If you love throwback coming-of-age stories, this one is worth a watch. Recommended

Going All The Way is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

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

Disclaimer: Oscilloscope Laboratories 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.