Plot: What’s it about?
Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller) has just become a father, as his wife Nancy (Patricia Arquette) gave birth to a beautiful son. The child is now four months old, but no name has been chosen, as Mel feels he needs to get in touch with his roots. This won’t be a simple task, as he was adopted and his efforts to find his birth parents have failed. But this time, he has enlisted an adoption agent named Tina (Tea Leoni), who claims she can help guide Mel’s search for his birth mother, thus allowing him to discover where he came from. Once he has this information, he is certain the proper name for his son will pop right into his mind. Tina’s motivations are not all helpful ones, as she plans to use the experience as part of her dissertation. As the search begins, Mel is hopeful and Nancy is doubtful, but Tina soon uncovers some information. The location of Mel’s birth mother has been learned, so they all venture California, where Mel hopes to find himself. But the situation turns sour, once they discover the woman is not his mother. A clerical error caused the mistake, which leads to even more misunderstandings and awkward moments. The trek continues on, as Mel is convinced he is destined to track down his biological parents. But when he does finally meet his real parents, will he wish he had never even tried?
I am no real fan of romantic comedies, but I loved Flirting with Disaster, though this is no ordinary romantic comedy, to say the least. No, this is a darker, more outlandish take on the genre, which is why it turns out so well. All of the genre conventions are kind of turned upside down, then slapped in the face, with hilarious results. You can also see elements of the gross out humor we’d be buried in later on, to a mild degree. So no, this is not a rabid slapstick picture, but it has lowbrow elements mixed in with the excellent dialogue. A simple, yet often brilliant movie that never slows down, even when exposition is unfolded. The dialogue, as I said before, is superb and has endless quotable lines, but there is a lot of yelling to be heard. This bothers some folks, since the movie is like one big shouting match, but I think it works. Yes, all the constant yells, screams, and shouts can be a little over the top, but the material demands as much. The cast is solid, with Ben Stiller (Zoolander, Along Came Polly) in the kind of role he plays ten times a year these days, while Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Mary Tyler Moore, and Alan Alda provide good supporting turns. A wild, off the wall movie that never ceases to be entertaining, Flirting with Disaster is recommended, especially in this new Collector’s Series release.
Video: How does it look?
Flirting with Disaster is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. If you’ve seen the prior release, you’ll be pleased with the new anamorphic transfer found here. You’ll see a sharper, more refined overall visual presence, which is excellent news. The print used is clean and shows minimal flaws, while the color scheme is dead on and flesh tones are natural, just as it all should be. I saw no problems on the contrast side either, as detail is well defined and black levels are always well balanced. This is not quite a perfect visual presentation, but it comes close and as such, I doubt anyone will be let down in the least.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc sports a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, but as is the case with most comedies, there just isn’t much surround presence. The musical soundtrack makes nice of the surrounds here, but that spells the start and finish of it, so don’t expect a whirlwind mix from this one. The elements come in natural form though, so you can’t lodge too much in terms of complaints with this mix. I’d rather see a more conservative presence than a forced one, so I am pleased here. The sound effects show some range at times, but for the most part, reside within the front channels, which is where they should be. I heard no problems with the dialogue either, as it came through in crisp form and with no volume issues in the least. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a brief behind the scenes featurette, three deleted scenes, and two reels of outtakes.
