Plot: What’s it about?
While in prison, a man named Cosimo (Luis Guzman) learns about the perfect heist, the kind of job cons dream about. A massive payoff, minimal risk, and a sure fire plan on how to avoid being caught, the perfect heist. A fellow inmate shared the valuable information with Cosimo, as the other prisoner has a life sentence. Cosimo begins to see the potential and is prepared to go through with the heist, but there’s one small problem. The trouble is that Cosimo remains in jail and as such, he can’t put together the job himself. So he has to find a way to get out aside from escape, since that would land him right back in the joint. What he needs is a patsy, someone to cop to his crime and get him released back into freedom. His girlfriend Rosalind (Patricia Clarkson) is supposed to find someone to take the fall, but the results are less than promising. When word begin to leak about the heist, Cosimo finds himself without a patsy, while a band of folks prepares to take the loot. But even with the help of a wheelchair bound safecracker (George Clooney), this group might not be able to pull off this job after all. Although Cosimo’s information provides the chance for a flawless heist, this band just might botch even the perfect crime.
As this movie was produced by George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh, you might raise your expectations a shade. But even with high powered producers and a massive, highly impressive cast of players, Welcome to Collinwood falls short. I love the cast here to no end, with such names as William H. Macy, Luis Guzman, Gabrielle Union, Isaiah Washington, Sam Rockwell, Jennifer Esposito, and even Clooney himself. An eclectic bunch to be sure, an assortment of actors that could make some serious comedic gold. But the writing & directing team of brothers Anthony and Joe Russo are unable to make good use of the talent, instead we have a gifted cast that has to deal with substandard material. A loose remake of Mario Manicelli’s Big Deal on Madonna Street, this movie has none of the goods from the original, thanks to mostly unfunny jokes and direction that restrains a talented cast. This should have a manic atmosphere, a constant barrage of characters and situations, the kind of premise this cast could excel within. Instead, the Russo siblings throw the brakes on countless times and that sinks this project. With skilled direction and polished writing, this cast could have made some magic, but that wasn’t in the cards here. If you have to see this one, make it a rental and be glad you avoided a purchase.
Whenever I see his name in the credits, even if its way down the list, I know I am about to see a terrific performance. I am speaking of William H. Macy, who is one of the finest supporting players of his generation. He is able to bring even a small role into the spotlight, where a brief appearance turns into one of the film’s most memorable moments. His dialogue work is unbelievable at times, both in the comedic and dramatic sense, as he drags every last bit of worth from his lines, so they have all the allowable impact. Whether he is a worn husband, a slick salesman, or a hitman with a conscience, Macy is always dependable, without exception. So in this ensemble piece, he manages to shine a little brighter than the others. He isn’t given the best lines or the best character, but he makes good use of his screen time, to be sure. Other films with Macy include Boogie Nights, Fargo, Jurassic Park III, State and Main, Mystery Men, and Air Force One. The cast also includes Sam Rockwell (Charlie’s Angels, Galaxy Quest), Luis Guzman (The Salton Sea, Out of Sight), Isaiah Washington (Romeo Must Die, Girl 6), and Gabrielle Union (Bring It On, Abandon).
Video: How does it look?
Welcome to Collinwood is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a solid overall effort, but some problems surface throughout. The print is mostly clean, but there is still some softness to be seen. This is most obvious in the contrast, as black levels don’t come off as refined as we’d like. Instead of stark blacks, we have spotty blacks and even deep greys at times, which is a disappointment. The compromised black levels also impact detail, which means the image lacks the sharpness we’ve come to expect. I found colors to be more consistent, but some scenes show bleeds, which counteracts the positives. This isn’t a bad transfer, but for a new release from a major studio, I was let down. I think this was a rushed treatment and while the film disappoints, it deserves better than this.
Audio: How does it sound?
This movie relies on dialogue more than impact audio, so expect a solid, but unremarkable experience here. There is some surround use in a few scenes, but nothing all that impressive, just some subtle touches and midsize effects. This material doesn’t need the high impact stuff however, so the lack of dynamic presence isn’t missed too much. A little more life is found in the musical soundtrack, which takes advantage of the surrounds in most instances. I would have liked more overall surround presence, but since the material sounds good in this treatment, I see no reason to complain. The dialogue remains the focal point however, with crystal clear vocals and no signs of volume errors I could detect. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a guide to the film’s offbeat dialect, a brief behind the scenes featurette, some talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
