Recently incarcerated Baron (Joe Keery) strikes up a friendship with cellmate Otis (Aldis Hodge), a man with a well-versed history of prison breaks. As the pair hatch an escape plan together, Baron recalls the story of how he met Marmalade (Camila Morrone), the love of his life, and their “Bonnie and Clyde” style scheme to rob a bank in order to care for his sick mother and give the couple the life they’ve always dreamed of.

For in-depth thoughts on Marmalade, please see my colleague Cameron Ritter’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Marmalade comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that looks especially fetching in HD. The transfer captures every setting with the ideal amount of care. It reveals texture within the clothing, makeup, and production design that adds valuable depth to the picture. There is a fine sense of rustic vibrancy throughout with some earthy colors, and the movie never comes up short in the complexity found in the darker spectrum of the palette. Highlights are handled well with no indication of blooming, and the blacks are deep and do not struggle with any crush or compression artifacts. Skin tones are detailed and natural all around. Brainstorm Media has done an excellent job with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a sturdy DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that confidently captures this story. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being overwhelmed by competing sounds. Environmental flourishes flesh out the soundscape to give the world a bit more nuance. The sound design is not overly bombastic but elements emanate perfectly in the mix. Music flows through the room when it needs to with a dynamic presence. The soundtrack adds texture to the low end at key points. The audio portion of the disc delivers everything it needs to. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Keir O’Donnell provides an entertaining commentary track in which he discusses the production of the film, inspiration for certain moments, scenes that were cut from the film, the location shooting, building certain sets, working with the performers, and more.

Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery

Costume Sketch Gallery

Original Trailer (2:11)

Final Thoughts

Marmalade is a deliriously fun directorial debut from Keir O’Donnell that has plenty of twists and turns that feel earned. Joe Keery brings big character actor energy to this role that continues his run of choosing quality roles over boring franchise bit parts. Aldis Hodge always shines in whatever movie he pops up in, and Camila Morrone exudes a degree of charisma on screen that will linger in your mind after the credits stop rolling. There are some moments that stretch credulity, but the manic energy is infectious and keeps you glued to the screen with a smile. Brainstorm Media has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a few welcome supplements. Recommended

Marmalade 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.