Inspired by a remarkable true story, the film follows retiree Jerry Selbee who discovers a mathematical loophole in the Massachusetts lottery. He and his wife Marge go on an exciting multi-million dollar winning spree with the goal to revive their small Michigan town. But when a selfish college student cheats the system, Jerry must find a way to make the game fair for all.
For thoughts on Jerry & Marge Go Large, please check out my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its Tribeca Film Festival debut here.
Video Quality
Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment brings Jerry & Marge Go Large to Blu-Ray with a fetching 1080p video presentation. The image is clean and clear with a bright color palette popping off the screen. The film shows off with some splashes of color within the clothing and production design which makes for a very striking image. The black levels are appropriately deep, but digital noise does prove to be a minor issue at certain moments in the film. Flesh tones are natural with gentle nuances showcased well in close-ups and medium shots. The presentation provides a significant amount of depth on display, especially in the interior shots. This is as solid of a presentation as any modern movie should provide on Blu-Ray. Paramount has done some admirable work here.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that executes everything it needs to do without issue. Music does a nice job of establishing the mood of the narrative as the track fills the room in a truly enveloping way. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever falling victim to competing voices or environmental factors. Everything is mixed perfectly with directionality accurately rendered across all channels. The sounds of the world provide a good amount of activity in the rear channels, although the low end is not particularly notable outside of adding a bit of texture. This track honors the spirit of the movie with a rock solid presentation. There are optional English, English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided for this release.
Final Thoughts
Jerry & Marge Go Large provides some functional mainstream entertainment, but it is not a picture which distinguishes itself as something essential. Where the picture shines is in the one-two punch of Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening, who provide a level of gravitas to this picture which the story itself never matches. All of the efforts are just a bit too light, failing to take the bite out of certain societal issues it seems to have in its crosshairs. You will feel good while watching this, but you will not be thinking about it too long after you have concluded with it. Paramount Picture Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray that sports fantastic A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. If you are a fan of the talent involved, it is at least worth a watch.
Jerry & Marge Go Large 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: Paramount Pictures 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.
