‘Kajillionaire’ Blu-Ray Review – Hilarious & Moving Journey Of Love & Chosen Family Is A Cinematic Gift

Know your worth. From acclaimed writer/director Miranda July comes a profoundly moving and wildly original comedy. Con-artists Theresa (Debra Winger) and Robert (Richard Jenkins) have spent 26 years training their only daughter, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), to swindle, scam, and steal at every opportunity. During a desperate, hastily conceived heist, they charm a stranger (Gina Rodriguez) into joining their family, only to have their entire world turned upside down.

For thoughts on Kajillionaire, please check out our discussion on Homedance Film Festival here. 

For additional thoughts, please see editorial pieces from Jessica Gonzales here and here. 

Video Quality

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment brings Kajillionaire to Blu-Ray with a gorgeous 1080p video presentation. The transfer provides a favorable amount of depth on display, especially in the interior shots of the office the family calls home. When this film goes into more dimly lit houses or other spaces, the details present as impressively sharp in all lighting conditions. The image is clean with the natural color palette radiating off the screen. The film employs bold splashes of colors within the clothing and production design, which really suits the tone of this particular narrative. The flesh tones are natural with gentle nuances showcased well in close-ups and medium shots. The black levels are deep and detailed, but digital noise does prove to be a very slight issue at certain moments in the film. Universal has done a great service for fans by bringing this one to Blu-Ray.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that offers a perfectly realized listening experience. The soundtrack complements the quirky mood of the narrative, and this track does a great job of flowing through the room with the cues. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever succumbing to overlapping voices or other mighty noises. Everything is mixed agreeably with directional accuracy across all channels. The sounds while out and about within the world provide a good amount of activity in the rear channels, and certain effects stir up some decent activity in the low end. This track handles everything it is asked to do without issue. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc. 

Final Thoughts

Kajillionaire is a film with a very particular tone that will not resonate with everyone, but if you can get on its wavelength, you are bound to fall for it. Personally, it is one of our absolute favorite films of the young decade. Thematically, the brilliant Miranda July is firing on all cylinders as our characters wrestle with what it means to be part of a family, enabling toxic relationships, the need to be loved and so much more that is so powerful. These characters could be considered “quirky,” but they are so much more layered than that binary label. This movie is absolutely hilarious, but it will also bring a tear to your eye. It is absolutely intoxicating. Universal Picture Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray that sports fantastic A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. You should watch this film at least once to see if its message resonates with you. Highly Recommended 

Kajillionaire can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

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

Disclaimer: Universal 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.