Review | Demoted (Blu-ray) | Blu-ray Authority

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Plot: What’s it about?Video: How does it look?Audio: How does it sound?Supplements: What are the extras?

Plot: What’s it about?

Ken Castro (David Cross) used to be the butt of the jokes at his office, but those who tormented him have less to laugh about these days. The office boss loved to party hard, which he did often with coworkers Rodney (Michael Vartan) and Mike (Sean Astin), but they also loved to pick on Ken. But when the boss winds up dead after things at a strip club get out of control, Ken is promoted to the head position. After years of abuse, he quickly busts down the popular salesmen to the clerical pool. Rodney and Mike are incensed to have to do what they feel is a woman’s work, especially now surrounded by women they’ve insulted and look down upon their entire careers. While they might be stuck at the bottom of the office ladder now, the two haven’t given up all hope, as they’re certain they can settle the score with Ken somehow. But will the two friends just use their circumstances solely to plot revenge, or will they discover that perhaps their old ways weren’t the best?

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Demoted, as David Cross is great in supporting roles, but tends to fold if he has carry one of the primary leads. Cross is given a lot of solid cast members to bolster the movie, but in the end Demoted winds up as a mediocre comedy at best. The blame has to be put on writer Dan Callahan, who is unable to establish a good comedic rhythm and tends to shoehorn in gross out moments that are quite out of place. With a cast that includes Cross, Ron White, Robert Klein, Sean Astin, and several other talented folks, the focus should have been on dialogue, not on gross out gags. Cross really seems lost in those moments, but again the problem is Callahan, not the performers. But in most scenes, the actors are able to make the most of the writing and deliver some mild laughs. I think Demoted could have been quite good with a different approach to the script, but as it stands, it is best viewed as a rental option.

Video: How does it look?

Demoted is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. This isn’t a great visual effort, as some scenes look quite solid, while others could pass for a standard DVD treatment. I have to think the source is to blame, as Anchor Bay is known for rather stunning transfers. The image has a lot of grain, to the point where detail is obscured and the visuals can look washed out. But then, others have solid detail and depth, so it is just an inconsistent treatment.

Audio: How does it sound?

This Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is good, but the movie rarely lets it show off. The film is driven by low key audio, so the surrounds aren’t given much room to flex. Even so, the track sounds good and ensures that dialogue is clear at all times. There is some added presence in a handful of scenes, but this is still just a minor spark. But when the movie demands some extra kick, the track is able to provide that. Not a memorable soundtrack overall, but it gets the job done. This disc also includes Spanish subtitles.