BLU-RAY
REVIEW: TAMMY
11/09/2014

OVERVIEW: Prepare for your holiday road trip when “Tammy” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on November 11 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Oscar® nominee Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”) and Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) embark on an unforgettable highway adventure in “Tammy,” marking Ben Falcone’s directorial debut.
“Tammy” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack and includes the film in high definition on Blu-ray disc, a DVD, and a digital version of the movie in Digital HD with UltraViolet. Fans can also own “Tammy” via purchase from digital retailers.
The Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital HD versions include an extended cut of the film featuring additional hilarious moments with Tammy, Pearl and the rest of the cast on their road trip adventure.
SYNOPSIS: After losing her job, husband and car in one day, Tammy Banks (McCarthy) wants out of her small town existence. With no money or transportation, her only way out is with her hard-partying grandmother, Pearl (Sarandon). Their misadventures and brushes with the law lead them on a funny and heartfelt road trip to remember.
FILM REVIEW: Co-written by Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone (who also directs and stars in the film), “Tammy” is a road trip flick which follows right along the lines of 2013’s “Identity Thief” and “The Heat;” The same type of McCarthy comedy that doesn’t skip a beat. The flick begins like every other recent Melissa McCarthy film (with the spotlight shining brightly on her), but this time co-starring none other than the queen of road trip flicks, Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, 1991).
That being said, “Thelma & Louise,” it is not. Although, there’s a fair amount of debauchery and criminal activity on this road trip, it all has a playful, heartwarming sentimentality to it. It is one of those rare films where not much happens plot-wise, but is actually better for it. The entertainment value comes from watching these two talented women basically perform a series of small, poignant sketches with one another. While both McCarthy’s and Sarandon’s characters might not be the most unique or original ones to ever grace a movie screen, they are perfected versions of well-traveled archetypes. As such, they have a genuine chemistry with one another that gives the pairing of Sarandon and Geena Davis a run for its money. Sarandon brings an unexpected amount of humor to the role, while McCarthy continues to shock with her dramatic range.
A supremely talented supporting cast all making memorable appearances include the likes of comedy legend Dan Aykroyd (Ghostbusters movies), though his role was much too slight, impractical and pointless. However, sixty-six year old screen legend Kathy Bates (best known for her multi-award winning role in Misery [1990]) appears as Tammy’s rich, charismatic and comparatively agile lesbian great-aunt Lenore whose character is probably the most sensible addition to the storyline, if any.
Clearly at some point there was a thought behind this flick of bravely making it both female-centric and fat-friendly; however, part of the problem is that it’s simply inept as film-making goes. The script seems quite flat, the timing is a bit off and there is certainly no back-story. Nevertheless, given the big names involved (with Will Ferrell being a producer) and McCarthy’s undoubted gifts as a comedian, it ends up feeling like a more significant flick than it actually is.
Having said all of this, I think audiences that are expecting a hilarious, slapstick comedy might be slightly disappointed though “Tammy” has a surprising amount of heart to it. It is probably not worth the theater visit, but would serve better as a pay-per-view or DVD rental. Three stars out of five is a generous rating here
Review
By Movi-Man Stan
BLU-RAY:
The film is
presented in widescreen in a 2.40:1 aspect ration preserving its
theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the
picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good,
a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement
to the picture. It also includes English,
French
and Spanish subtitles.
VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.40:1) 16x9
AUDIO:
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS DD 2.0
(English)
Subtitles - English Spanish
French
SPECIAL
FEATURES:
Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
Extended Cut
Tammy’s Road Trip Checklist
Deleted Scenes
Fun Extras
Gag Reel