Plot: What’s it about?
There are some movies that just don’t seem like they’d be for me. I can sometimes tell by the previews or basic premise if I’m going to like them or not. I’m much more selective with the movies I spend my time on these days. That doesn’t mean I’m not fair with every movie I watch, but Woman in Gold just looked so uninteresting to me. It’s the story of Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), an Austrian Jewish refugee who takes on the government to recover a painting that belongs to her. She swears that it’s hers and the Nazis stole it from it. She’s paired with Attorney Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds) to aid her in the recovery of the painting. The story begins in 1998 with frequent flashbacks to a younger Maria and her family during the 1930’s. As the film progresses we see the legal channels that Randy and Maria go through to get the painting back in her hands.
I was unfamiliar with the true story on which the film is based, but researching it was far more interesting than the film itself. Even though I was unfamiliar, there was still a predictableness to the whole affair. This was especially true of the flashback sequences showing a young Maria. I think if the focus had been primarily on the lawsuit then this might’ve been more successful. It doesn’t help that I felt so little about the characters and the outcome. I don’t think Reynolds is a bad actor, but I find him irritating sometimes, and he seems out of his element here. Mirren does fine, but there’s nothing particularly interesting about her character either. Katie Holmes shows up as Randy’s wife, but her role has been done in films like these before. All these issues in addition to the slow nature of the story don’t help matters much. Woman in Gold isn’t worth bothering with. Skip it.
Video: How’s it look?
I didn’t care for the film, but the image was consistently satisfying. Colors were always bright and smooth and the transfer was virtually flawless. There was a definite sharpness to the whole thing. It simply drew me in. The image is AVC encoded with a 2.39:1 ratio. Fans of the film will be more than pleased.
Audio: How’s it sound?
While not as attention grabbing as the transfer, the DTS HD track still does the job. Since this is a drama, I wasn’t expecting a track to rock the room. Still, vocals and all other things were handled properly. There are scenes in courtrooms where we can hear plenty of background banter, but otherwise, this is a front loaded track. Rears only kicked in on occasion, but that’s simply because they weren’t required more than that.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – This track includes the Director and the Film’s Producer.
- The Making of Woman in Gold – This is a typical behind the scenes look at the film. It gives us the typical behind the scenes tidbits, nothing too deep, but worth watching once if you’re a fan.
- A Neue Gallerie New York Press Conference – This is a short (10 minute) feature about the artwork featured in the film. It didn’t interest me, but if you want to know more about it, here’s your chance.
- Previews
The Bottom Line
I wasn’t expecting much from the film, but still went in with an open mind. I suppose this story could hold potential interest, but it’s not evident here. I also don’t feel Reynolds was the best choice to play the lead. Woman in Gold ends up as a dull affair.
