Plot: What’s it about?
After sixteen years of anticipation, Taylor (Ashley Olsen) and her twin sister Kylie (Mary-Kate Olsen) have turned sweet sixteen and of course, that means getting their licenses and hitting the old highway for some fun. The twins have some massive plans for their first road trip, as they’re headed toward the Winter Olympics in Utah. As soon as they start up their classic Mustang and begin the trek to Utah, the path to the Olympics becomes littered with more detours than a busy Chicago street during rush hour. The pristine slopes will have to wait, as the girls find themselves in one mishap after another, with no end in sight to their transportation woes. But it seems like everytime they find themselves in a tight spot, some kindness and friendly gestures get them in good with some local and soon enough, they’re back on the road. Even so, Taylor and Kylie wind up in more and more bad spots and as time begins to run out, they’ll need to overcome the troubles if they want to make it to Utah in time. But can the girls find some way to make it to their destination and more to the point, can they make the best of their recent bad luck?
If you’re a fan of road trips and those perky Olsen twins, then you’re in luck, as Warner has released Getting There on DVD. This brand new adventure with Mary-Kate & Ashley sees them embark on their first road trip and of course, it is one loaded with fun, friends, hijinks, and a lesson of some kind. As should be expected, the plot is thin and the focus is on having a good time, but I have to admit, the girls turn in solid efforts here. I’ve poked fun at them in the past for their lacking skills, but they’re actually good here, as far as the material goes. I’m not trying to say they deserve awards or what not, but they’re on the mark here and you can tell they’re having a terrific time. Then again, if I made a billion dollars per year like these girls, I’d be having a damn good time too, even if the movies I made were on the bland side. While the girls have polished their skills a little, the flick still falls in line with their other efforts, which means not terrible, but not all that good, leaving me to give the same advice I always do on their movies. This one won’t make you a fan, but if you’re already sold on them, then you’ll want to check out Getting There.
Video: How does it look?
Getting There is presented in a full frame transfer, as intended. As this was made & released in 2002, the image is cleaner and sharper than some of the older titles, so we’re given a bright, quite impressive visual effort here. The print has minimal flaws as expected, while colors are vivid & bold at all times and flesh tones look natural also. No errors on the contrast side either, as detail is as intended and black levels are stark & well balanced. A sharp, clean, and pleasant image, not much else we could want from this visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 2.0 surround option is good and provides some solid moments, but in the end, the material holds back the audio presence. This is because while some scenes do spark the speakers, most scenes are dialogue driven and since the care wasn’t taken to mix in some subtle atmosphere, the scenes lack dynamic audio. Even so, the musical soundtrack comes across well and some scenes do have some presence, so this is not a totally lifeless track. The dialogue is clean and never muffled, so you won’t miss a single word here. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes an alternate end sequence, a brief behind the scenes featurette, Sweet 16 party planning tips, trivia game, and the film’s trailer.
