Mel (Marc Maron) is a cantankerous pawnshop owner in Alabama who spends most of his time swindling customers while trying and failing to get his man-child employee Nathaniel (Jon Bass) to do any work. When Cynthia (Jillian Bell) and her wife Mary (Michaela Watkins) try to hawk a Civil War-era sword inherited from Cynthia’s recently deceased grandfather, he tries to get the better of them. The sword, however, comes with a convoluted report from Cynthia’s grandfather claiming the relic to be proof the South actually won the war. It isn’t long before the coveted ‘prover item’ draws the attention of overzealous conspiracy theorists and the two duos have to join forces in order to sell the sword to the highest bidder. The journey that ensues takes the ragtag bunch on a tour through the deep South and the minds of the local fanatics who inhabit it. Created from the raw talent of its cast and infused with a lot of heart and laughs, Sword of Trust takes a stab at uncovering emotional truths through moments of hilarity and hits right on the mark.

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Video Quality

Sword of Trust arrives on Blu-Ray at long last with an exquisite 1080p video presentation that looks as strong and stable as one would hope. The presentation provides a notable amount of depth on display, especially when the adventure takes to the country in the latter half of the film. The lived-in production design, along with the fabrics of clothing, provides clear textural details. The image is clean with the natural color palette emerging off the screen. The film has some nice splashes of bold colors within the production design and the natural environment. Highlights remain stable, and the black levels are deep with no discernible digital noise. The flesh tones are natural with a favorable amount of detail present in close-ups. This Blu-Ray is a loving representation of this movie.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a commendable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that handles every element with the appropriate care. One of our favorite aspects of the film is the original score created by Marc Maron. Each lick establishes the tone of the journey with impeccable fidelity. A few key sound effects engage the low end of the track in subtle ways, but it is not a standout in that regard. When the characters are out and about in the world, there are some really nice ambient details that flesh out the setting. Dialogue is the focus of the film, and it always comes through clearly without being overshadowed by any competing sounds. This track gets the job done with a steady persistence. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Producer Ted Speaker and actors Marc Maron, Michaela Watkins, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass and Toby Huss provide a new commentary track in which they reflect on the late Lynn Shelton and the memories of making the film. This is such a hilarious and loving track that is exactly what I wanted for this release.

Behind the Scenes Featurette: A nearly six-minute look at moments from the production of the film set to some of the Marc Maron score. There are a good amount of bloopers, goofing around, insights into the characters, and more.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “Open Your Heart” by author and film critic Marya E. Gates explores the career of Lynn Shelter and her special collaborations with Marc Maron.

Final Thoughts

Sword of Trust is an utterly hilarious and surprisingly moving final feature from the incredible Lynn Shelton. This feature exemplifies the connection she had with performers, as she provided a space for some of the most creative and brilliant minds in comedy to come together and bounce off of one another. Everyone is in top form, but it is Marc Maron who impresses us in particular. Lynn Shelton was a special ray of light in the filmmaking space, and we will miss her unique brand of storytelling. IFC Films has released a new Blu-Ray featuring a splendid A/V presentation and some can’t-miss supplemental features. We have been wishing for this release for years, and it did not disappoint. Highly Recommended

Sword of Trust is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

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

Disclaimer: IFC Films and 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.