Plot: What’s it about?
In a world filled with lies and broken promises, Joline (Heather Graham) is a woman who you can count on no matter what. If she gives you her word, you can take it to the bank that she means business. She never goes into any agreement half hearted and always makes sure her word is good in the end. This sense of total commitment carries right into her love life, as she treasures her wedding vows and is confident she will never break them. When the minister said “Til death do you part,” she meant it in every sense of the words when he replied, “I do.” But of late, her husband Carl (Luke Wilson) has been having some tough times and seems distant. Joline won’t allow some bumps to ruin her marriage though, as she remains faithful and is sure all will work out in the end. But then Carl decides to take some time apart and that pushes Jolie too far, as she takes her commitment to new levels and some of them could be considered stalking! Her friends tell her to give up, but Joline is sure she can win back her husband and will try whatever it takes…even if it lands her in a mental hospital. When does commitment turn into obsession?
This is one of the funniest and most original romantic comedies of late, though the romance is minimal so I am unsure if it qualifies as one in the end. Heather Graham makes this one work and while I am not a fan of much of her work, she proves she can handle the bulk of a film here. She dominates the screen time and never slips, which impressed me a lot. She, along with the rest of the cast, seems to be a perfect fit here and bring this offbeat story to life well. This is a madcap movie from start to finish and while it does deal with some serious topics, this is a fun ride and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. This seems like a very cute & almost babylike film at times, until an out of left field bit of madness shatters that illusion. The visuals build a colorful & very pastel world, which seems to fit the characters and events to perfection. This isn’t your typical romantic comedy to say the least and perhaps that is why it seems so wonderful to me. Graham moves up a few notches for her bouncy, yet insane performance and all in all, this one gets a very high recommendation.
I mentioned it above, but I feel the need to talk more about Heather Graham’s excellent work in this movie. It almost seems like we’re seeing a grown up Rollergirl at times, but then she lashes out in some strange fashion or shifts the character just a little. These subtle moves within her character are highly effective and help build the base for her role. She does have her usual “aren’t my eyes so pretty” moments, but she also powers home a terrific overall performance here. This is my pick for her best work to date and I hope to see more of this level from her soon. You can also see Graham in action in such films as Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Boogie Nights, Bowfinger, Mrs. Parker & The Vicious Circle, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and License To Drive. The cast here also includes Luke Wilson (Blue Streak, Home Fries), Goran Visnjic (Rounders, The Peacemaker), Summer Phoenix (Girl, S.L.C. Punk), Patricia Velazquez (The Mummy (1999), Turn It Up), Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Desert Blue), and Clea DuVall (But I’m A Cheerleader, The Faculty).
Video: How does it look?
Committed is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This one looks good and aside from some minimal grain, no problems to discuss. The colors look fantastic and given the rich hues used, this could have been a nightmare. The pastels retain their brightness, but never too much and the richer shades look good too, with no bleeds or smears at all. Also in fine form are the flesh tones, which seem warm and natural here. No problems with black levels either, contrast is well defined and detail is always high in this transfer. A few scant moire patterns here and there, but no serious issues to contend with.
Audio: How does it sound?
Like most romantic comedies, this one has a conservative audio range and as such, sounds more restrained than more intense fare. A few scenes do make good use of the surrounds though, so not all speaker use is absent. So on the whole this mix is anchored in the front channels, but some decent surround is present at times. The music is the most active elements and sounds terrific, much more immersive than I had expected also. The main focus here is dialogue and thankfully, it emerges in crisp & clean fashion. No volume issues either, a solid overall audio experience.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
