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Stars: Ben Affleck,
Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Christopher Walken, and Al Pacino
Writer: Martin
Brest
Director: Martin
Brest
Feature length:
121 minutes
Extras: Trailers
Languages: English
and French Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles: English
Captions and Closed Captions and French, Chinese, Korean, and Thai Language
Subtitles
Packaging: Keep
Case
Chapter Stops: 28
Sound: Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year of Theatrical
Release: 2003/DVD Release: 2003
Theatrical
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Home Video
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Reviewer: Mark A.
Rivera
I sat for a half
an hour trying to figure out how I would best describe “Gigli” and every
time I got past one sentence, I found myself thinking, “This is not right.”
It can be hard to maintain one’s objectivity about a film that was so
universally panned as “Gigli” was before seeing it. Even afterwards I find
myself lamenting over whether or not the film deserved the critical bashing it
got this past summer during it’s theatrical release. Perhaps it was because my
expectations were low or because it played better on DVD then it would have had
I paid to go see it on the big screen, but I did not find it to be as bad as
some reviews I read. Yet I’m still having trouble
articulating my feelings about the film so I’m taking the gloves off and being
blunt. The bad publicity “Gigli” got this past summer was probably the best
thing that ever happened for it. People who did not see it in theaters are very
curious to see for themselves why this film was so scorned while others who are fascinated by “Ben & Jen” will want to see the film that sparked their
on and off again relationship. Is “Gigli” the worst film released in years?
It is extremely subjective, but I am inclined to say no. That does not mean that
I thought the film was good, but the quotes from "Gigli" that were taken out of context
make the film appear a lot worse than it is.
I’m sure Writer
and Director Marin Brest (Scent Of A Woman) figured that the film was going to
offend someone, but is there really any film that doesn’t upset somebody these
days? My biggest problems with the film were I never bought Jennifer Lopez
playing a lesbian hood in part because one can see the attraction between both
of them throughout the film. So when she gives this little speech likening
cunnilingus to French kissing of course it sounds odd because Lopez is more or
less just reciting her dialogue with no screen presence to add to her character.
The storyline itself has a few gaping holes that make little or no sense and the
film also has a flat ending. Christopher Walken’s cameo is wasted and unnecessary
while Pacino’s cameo is probably the only part of the film where I felt a
sense of character and presence on screen, but that’s just Pacino being Pacino
more or less. One can imagine he probably showed up for a day to help the
Director who gave him the role that finally got him that long deserved Oscar®.
That’s just my opinion and it is not based on fact. I really don’t know why Pacino
decided to appear in this film at all.
The idea that a
foul mouthed straight guy can turn a lesbian’s preferences around are as
unlikely as a woman turning a gay guy straight. I’m not saying it can’t
happen, but in a film where I can’t even believe that the female lead is supposed
to be gay, how can I believe that her character will fall in love with the male
lead? Perhaps the most ironic thing about the whole set up is that we have an
Actor and Actress who off screen have been romantically linked, but on screen
their attraction is what ultimately sinks the film’s hook.
Columbia TriStar
Home Entertainment has released “Gigli” with an anamorphic widescreen
(2.40:1) transfer and a pan & scan (1.33:1) presentation on the same dual
layered disc. The picture quality is a bit less than normal for most Columbia
TriStar DVD releases. The film is grainy throughout and just not as sharp as
other releases from the studio. The English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Soundtrack is much better with a very aggressive tone and nice track separation
between the channels. A French Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack is
also encoded as well as English Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing
impaired and French, Chinese, Korean, and Thai Language Subtitles as options.
There are no extra
value features. Just a trailer for “Mona Lisa Smile” with Julia Roberts
(2:32) and three 32-second home video spots for “Gigli,” “Maid In
Manhattan,” and “Anaconda.” The menus are standard interactive still
frames that are easy to navigate. “Gigli” will debut on DVD-Video at
retailers on and offline on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 from
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.
© Copyright 2003
By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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