Serving Sara
Paramount Home Video
Cast: Matthew Perry, Elizabeth Hurley, Bruce Campbell, Vincent Pastore
Extras: Commentary Track, Featurette, Outtakes, Deleted and Alternate Scenes, Trailer
Rating:
Imagine you are a process server who has to put every bone in your body on the line to do your job. Someone who has to jump through hoops and take insult to get the job done, and all of that on minimal pay. That’s what Joe Tyler (Matthew Perry) is going through until he serves Sara Moore (Elizabeth Hurley) with her divorce papers. Her cheating cattle-baron husband Gordon (Bruce Campbell) initiates the divorce in Texas where the laws are geared very much towards men, and when Joe tells Sara that she would have been much better off serving him first, Sara makes him a tempting offer. She promises to give him $1 million if he tears up her papers and server her husband instead. When Joe agrees, they enter a race against time and some powerful Texan forces.
Paramount Home Entertainment delivers ’Serving Sara’ in an anamorphic widescreen presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio that is absolutely flawless. (Sadly, though Paramount has been sloppy enough to leave a ’This film has been modified…’ note even on the widescreen version.) Evidently, the film is also available in a fullframe transfer, but who cares, really. The image is razor-sharp and free of edge-enhancement, and the colors are vibrant, reproducing every hue of the film perfectly. Black levels are rock solid, creating deep blacks and shadows the never lose detail.
The DVD features audio tracks in English and French. The 5.1 channel Dolby Digital mix is very active with good surround usage that makes effective use of the split surround channels. There are many instances in which you will be surprised at how aggressive the mix is in creating an engulfing sound field. The frequency response is very wide with a very good bass extension and clear high ends. No distortion is audible and dialogues are well integrated and never drowned out.
Paramount has also added a few bonus materials to this release, such as a commentary track featuring director Reginald Hudlin. The track is informative and enjoyable, relaying a good deal of information without ever becoming too dry, adding good value to the release.
But also a few other features have been added to this release, such as a 20-minute behind-the-scenes featurette filled with interviews and footage from the set. It is a notch above your typical promo featurettes as it discusses the production of the movie in more detail.
Three outtakes, two deleted scenes and three extended scenes are also part of the release, all complete with optional commentary by the director. To round out the release, Paramount has also included the movie’s theatrical trailer on the DVD.
’Serving Sara’ is a funny and entertaining movie and Paramount has created a well-rounded DVD for it that is of the highest quality. For some silly fun check out this release.
