Plot: What’s it about?
Although this film has a basic premise and a storyline, I feel it would be futile to attempt a traditional synopsis. I mean, yes there is a plot in Grand Canyon, but to summarize it would ruin some of the moments, so instead I will just give a brief rundown of what starts the events into motion. Mack (Kevin Kline) is a high powered lawyer with a family and the whole shebang, but when he finds himself stranded in a bad area, none of that can serve him too well. He calls for a tow truck, but in the meantime, he is confronted by a gang of street thugs, who plan to harass him and potentially more. When the tow truck driver, Simon (Danny Glover) arrives, he talks the gangbangers down and whisks Mack off to a safer place, which ends up sparking a friendship between the two. The two men come from very different backgrounds and have little in common, but their friendship will change their lives, as well as the lives of many people around them…
I had passed this one up at the video stores a million times, but I was always interested, due to the cast and direction of Lawrence Kasdan. I’ve always been a fan of Kasdan’s work and even when his films were flawed, I had fun watching them. Add in a cast that includes Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, and Steve Martin, and I knew this would be worth a look. But until Fox issued this flick on our beloved format, I never took the time to look into Grand Canyon. I’ve now seen the film of course and while some problems were present, this was a good movie and I loved the performances, especially that of Danny Glover. This is very much an ensemble piece and as such, the interaction is vital and Kasdan needed tight direction, but this is where the film falters to a degree. Kasdan allows the characters and storyline to wander off the path at times, which causes a loose, disconnected feel and that isn’t optimal. But it all still makes sense and is worth a look, even with the meandering moments stuck in there. If you’re interested in the least, I recommend you give this disc a rental and see what you think, it’s well worth that minimal cost.
At the helm of Grand Canyon is director and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, whose career has been somewhat of a mixed bag of flicks. I know Kasdan can pilot a film to terrific ends, but at times he seems to lose the reins and that allows the picture to float away too much, which gives the whole movie a loose feel. I think his good movies have a strong lead over his not so good movies, but even in his best efforts, you can sometimes see small cracks forming around the edges. In Grand Canyon, those cracks are more than evident and at times, the film is much too loose and disconnected, which isn’t what you want in a picture like this. But Kasdan has a terrific cast to work with and his direction is decent enough, which saves the flick in the end. Other films directed by Kasdan include Wyatt Earp, French Kiss, Silverado, Mumford, and The Big Chill. The cast includes Kevin Kline (Dave, In & Out), Steve Martin (The Jerk, Bowfinger), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon, Gone Fishin’), Mary McDonnell (Blue Chips, Matewan), Alfre Woodard (Lost Souls, Primal Fear), and Mary-Louise Parker (Fried Green Tomatoes, The Five Senses).
Video: How does it look?
Grand Canyon is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. As usual, Fox delivers a good visual presentation, even on a catalog release like this. The colors look bright and never bleed, while flesh tones appear natural and consistent. No issues with contrast either, as black levels are dead on and detail is strong throughout. I did notice some shimmering and edge enhancement, but not enough to fret over and I wasn’t let down in the least here. Of course, this film was made in 1991 and doesn’t look as refined as more recent releases, but it looks terrific when compared to previous editions. Another great catalog release transfer from Fox, who continues to impress.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 4.0 track more than handles the basics, but then again, this material doesn’t need much dynamic presence. There is some surround use of course, but mostly subtle use and musical score, which is how it should be. I think too many tracks force surround presence and the results are terrible, so I am pleased this is a natural mix, even if conservative. The musical score comes off very well here, rich at all times and always placed in just the right channels. This movie is driven by dialogue however and it also sounds excellent, crisp and clean from start to finish. This disc also includes 2.0 surround tracks in English and French, as well as subtitles in Spanish and English.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a brief behind the scenes featurette, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
