Plot: What’s it about?
Politics has been, is and most likely always will be a topic for debate in this or any country. With the 2016 election now behind us (thankfully), it seems that more and more people are paying attention to our nation’s capital and what happens within those confines. Speaking for myself, my “day job” is in politics and I happen to live a mere 25 miles from the White House. That said, I don’t really consider myself any more political than the next guy. But, like it or not, things do get done in Washington and though we may not always agree with their methods, lobbyists do manage to be a major catalyst. Unfortunately, things always come down to one thing, you guessed it, money and the major corporations seem to be the ones with it. Miss Sloane tells the story of such a lobbyist, someone who’s good at her job and isn’t afraid to brag about it. I have no idea how accurate the content in this film is, but I must imagine that it hits home in some respects. Forget what Schoolhouse Rock taught you – if you want things done, you need cash. And Elizabeth Sloane.
Jessica Chastain plays the Elizabeth Sloane, a highly-regarded D.C. lobbyist who is good at what she does. Using drug to keep her awake, she gets little sleep and her firm needs her help to defeat a gun control bill. (We assume it’s the NRA even though it’s never actually mentioned.) But, for whatever reason, this doesn’t seem to interest her and instead she’s persuaded by a competing law firm run by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong) that wants to use her and her team to get the bill pushed through. She quits, in Jerry Maguire fashion, taking most of her team with her. I neglected to mention that the movie takes place in “flashback” form as we see Sloane as she’s testifying at a Congressional hearing led by Ron Sperling (John Lighgow), trying to go for the 1-2 punch.
There’s no denying the pure, raw talent that flows through Jessica Chastain. She’s consistently one of my favorite actresses and I’m sure she’ll have a long and successful career in front of the camera. WhileMiss Sloane seems to strike all the right notes, I feel it’s ultimately a good movie highlighted by a few good performances – namely Chastain’s. Those who aren’t fans of political dramas might want to steer clear, but in these politically-charged times, this might serve as a good point of reference as to what and how things really get done. There’s no shortage of talent in the film with Mark Strong, Allison Pill, John Lithgow and Sam Waterson rounding out the ensemble cast. And, technically, there’s really nothing wrong with the film – it just kind of dies in the final hour and never really recovers.
Video: How’s it look?
Presented in a 2.40:1 AVC HD encode, Miss Sloane checks all the boxes if you’re trying to identify some DC landmarks. Though most of the film takes place at cocktail parties and inside law offices, there are some familiar sites that I found interesting. Chastain’s pale complexion is highlighted by the bright red lipstick that she dons and this transfer is nearly without fault. Detail is sharp, showing every sharp line and curve. Contrast is solid, there were no blocking issues and the color palette, corporate as it might be, seemed to have a nice array about it. Fox has done a fine job with this Blu-ray presentation.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The included DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack isn’t one that will wake the neighbors, rather it’s a more dialogue-driven film that is reminiscent of The West Wing (I had to throw in at least one Aaron Sorkin reference in this review). Surrounds have a few moments to shine and add some rich ambiance in the form of traffic or background conversation. It’s a passable effort for sure, and there’s really nothing wrong with it. Frankly, it serves its purpose and that’s fine.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Lobbying: Winning by Any Means – The lone supplement is a pretty by-the-book EPK with interviews with Chastain and director John Madden. We see some of the great lengths that Chastain went through to prepare for her role (she read all the same books about lobbying she could) and that commitment shows in her performance. Madden, who directed the award winning Shakespeare in Love, doesn’t have a whole lot to say but running at only 10 minutes – there wasn’t a lot of time.
The Bottom Line
Miss Sloane wasn’t seen by a lot of people. It made only $3 million at the box office. Still, it’s worth a watch if anything political is up your alley. It might be worth watching if only to get a feel for how good of an actress Jessica Chastain is. Fox’s Blu-ray looks great and has passable sound, though the lack of anything major in the supplemental department might deter a purchase.
