Alex & Emma
Warner Home Video
Cast: Kate Hudson, Luke Wilson, Sophie Marceau, David Paymer
Extras: Commentary Track, Trailer
Rating:
After a few years of absence, Rob Reiner is back with a romantic comedy entitled ’Alex & Emma.’ The film about novelist Alex (Luke Wilson) who has 30 days to finish a novel in order to make enough money to pay back a loan shark threatening to kill him. Desperately he hires stenographer Emma (Kate Hudson) to get through the jam as quickly as possible. But Emma has her own feelings and thoughts about the material Alex is dictating and constantly challenges the writer’s ideas and thoughts. While being a cause of great irritation, she also turns into his inspiration.
Warner is presenting ’Alex & Emma’ in a widescreen aspect ratio on this DVD in a transfer that is enhanced for 16×9 TV sets. The picture is clean and clear and reveals a good level of detail. Colors are vibrant, rich and never bleed, while the transfer’s contrast is balanced with deep blacks and outstanding highlights. No distracting edge-enhancement is visible and the presentation is free of compression artifacts.
The audio on the DVD comes as a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital track in English and French, respectively. The tracks frequency response is wide and creates a natural-sounding presentation with good basses and clear high ends. The dynamic response is also preserved nicely to create a track that has good room to breathe.
A commentary track featuring Luke Wilson and director Rob Reiner is also included on the DVD. It is an engaging track that offers good insight into the material and the movie’s production. Both are very conversational in their tone, giving the commentary a very comforting atmosphere and keeping things flowing naturally throughout.
The only other extra on the disc is the movie’s theatrical trailer.
’Alex & Emma’ is a sensitive romantic comedy that has different sides to it. Romantic at times, silly at others, the film always keeps you smiling and laughing as you see the relationship develop. The film may not be Reiner’s best work, but it is highly entertaining and funny nonetheless.
