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2.5 Stars out of 5
Sale Price 39.99
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3rd Party 39.99
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Release Date: May 27th, 2008
Movie Release Year: 2007
Release Country: United States
COLLAPSE INFO -

P.S. I Love You

Review Date May 29th, 2008 by
Overview - Buy a new outfit. Be a disco diva. Learn to fish. Take a chance. Travel. Laugh. Love. Sometimes all you need to start really living is a little shove in the right direction – and that’s just what Holly Kennedy gets. From the handsome, big-hearted love of her life. From a series of mysterious letters. And from gal pals who know that a friend in need is a friend in need of some laughs! Based on Cecelia Ahern’s joyful bestseller and boasting a top cast led by two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler (300), P.S. I Love You is your very own message full of fun, love, triumph and romance.
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  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs: HD DVD
    HD-30 Dual-Layer Disc
    Video Resolution/Codec: 1080p/VC-1
    1080i/480i/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
    Length:126
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):2.35:1
    English Descriptive Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/16-bit)
    French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    Subtitles/Captions: English SDH
    French Subtitles
    Spanish Subtitles
    Special Features: Featurettes
    Deleted Scenes
    Music Video
    Movie Studio: Warner Home Video
    Release Date: May 27th, 2008

Story Review Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

3 Stars out of 5

The old saying goes, "It is better to have loved andbl lost, than never to have loved at all." Try telling that to anyone who has suffered the premature death of a spouse, however, and you may get a different answer. There is perhaps no pain greater, and the emotional devastation can be so damaging that it's easy to understand why the one left behind would want to shut the door on love for good.

That's the central premise of 'P.S. I Love You,' a movie the marketing touted as a light romantic comedy but which is in fact far more somber than your usual entry in the chick-flick genre. Hilary Swank stars as Holly Kennedy, married to the hunky Gerry (Gerard Butler of '300,' sans CGI-enhanced chest). They're struggling, but their passion is as strong as their adverse circumstances. Then Gerry dies unexpectedly of a brain tumor at the age of 35, leaving Swank to pick up the pieces with the help of Gerry's widowed mother (Kathy Bates) and their circle of friends (including Gina Gershon, James Marsters, and Lisa Kudrow).

The hook of 'P.S. I Love You' is that Gerry had secretly written a series of notes and other instructions for Holly that are now appearing with regularity after his death. It's not supernatural, just whimsical (if still a bit credibility-straining), as Gerry directs Holly to let loose at a karaoke bar, take a pre-paid trip to Ireland etc. Holly's adventures will eventually lead to two potential suitors, a local bartender (Harry Connick, Jr.) as well an Irish pub singer (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who bears a striking resemblance to Gerry.

The early scenes of 'P.S. I Love You' are the darkest of the film, but interestingly, the strongest. Swank is adept at conveying pain with subtlety, which brings a real sense of believability to the character that involves us in the story immediately, even after it quickly succumbs to a disorienting, jerky flashback structure that begins to irritate. It is here that the rhythms and pacing start to feel unnatural, to the point that we begin to expect yet another flashback to a grinning, philosophy-spewing Butler so regularly that it verges on the comical. (Director Richard LaGravanese also has an annoying tendency to try and pump up some thin scenes of drama by constantly cutting to close-ups -- back and forth, back and forth -- it's headache inducing).

Overlong at 127 minutes, 'P.S. I Love You' rambles a bit in its middle section. At the heart of the film is Holly's tug-of-war between holding on to her memories of Gerry, and choosing to love again with either Connick or Morgan. Unfortunately, what should have been a fairly compact story is unnecessarily stuffed with cutesy scenes of Holly falling off a stage during karaoke, fishing in Ireland etc. (all of which seem designed as money shots for the trailer). Thankfully, the third act quickly regains its footing, and is surprisingly effective -- again largely thanks to Swank's keen understanding of Holly's heartbreak. That I had a couple of tears by the end credits speaks to the story's basic power despite the film's flaws.

Ultimately, 'P.S. I Love You' is not an exemplary weepie, but having suffered through far more pedestrian entries in the romantic genre lately ('27 Dresses' comes to mind), it's boosted by a poignant core story and character, and a fine performance by Swank. If you're in the mood for a few laughs, a few tears, and some morose romance,' 'P.S. I Love You' is a note worth reading.

  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    HD DVD
    HD-30 Dual-Layer Disc
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    1080p/VC-1
    1080i/480i/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
    Length:126
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    2.35:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/16-bit)
    French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English SDH
    French Subtitles
    Spanish Subtitles
    Special Features:
    Featurettes
    Deleted Scenes
    Music Video
    Movie Studio: Warner Home Video
    Release Date: May 27th, 2008

Video Review

3 Stars out of 5

I didn't expect visual fireworks from 'P.S. I Love You,' but this 1080p/VC-1 transfer left me cold. Identical to the recent Blu-ray version, the film just looks strangely muted and oddly washed out.

As a new release, there's no problem with the source -- its clean (though there is a bit of persistent grain, which adds a film-like look). Unfortunately, blacks lack that rich, inky depth of the best transfers, giving a weirdly flat quality to the film. Colors also have some vibrant splashes, but are generally murky and lacking in purity. Detail is better, and richer scenes do have some dimension, but overall I just wasn't impressed with 'P.S. I Love You.'

Audio Review

3 Stars out of 5

Typical of a romantic comedy, 'P.S. I Love You' sounds front-heavy, with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround mix (48kHz/16-bit) that lacks distinction. (Also provided are French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround tracks at 640kbps, plus subtitles in English, Frencha and Spanish.)

Surrounds are meager, with even upbeat club and party scenes lacking zip. The film does make good use of a few melancholy pop songs, but even here there is little bleed to the rears. Thankfully, dynamic range has great pep, with some deep bass during a karaoke scene and a polished, clean sound. Dialogue is strong, too, and well placed front-and-center. It's just too bad that even for a romantic comedy, 'P.S. I Love You' is too restrained.

Special Features

1.5 Stars out of 5

As with the Blu-ray, this HD DVD edition of 'P.S. I Love You' gets a pithy batch of supplements -- I guess the film's weak box office didn't exactly inspire Warner to cough up much dough for its high-def release. (Video is both 1080 and 480p/i resolution, and there are optional subtitles in English, French and Spanish.)

  • Featurette: "A Conversation with Cecilia Ahern" (HD, 8 minutes) - For whatever reason, Warner has not included any of the EPK materials produced for 'P.S. I Love You.' Instead, we get this one-on-one with the young and lovely Ahern, who authored the original book upon which the movie is based. It's a pleasant, relatively informative chat, but it can't help but feel like an appetizer rather than a main course.
  • Featurette: "The Name of the Game is Snaps" (HD, 6 minutes) - Wow, a featurette on how to play a game in the movie that was already stupid to begin with. Really, Warner?
  • Alternate Scenes (SD, 12 minutes) - Adding to the cheap feel of the extras, this batch of a half-dozen scenes is thrown together in one big lump (the scenes aren't even listed). The quality is also dull standard-def. The material itself isn't bad, with these alternate takes often substantially different than the scenes featured in the finished cut.
  • Music Video (SD) - Rounding out this anemic set is a clip for the James Blunt tune "Same Mistake."

Final Thoughts

'P.S. I Love You' is a sensitive, often perceptive comedy, although one that takes one too many wrong story turns (not to mention it's way overlong at over two hours). This HD DVD is a bit of a disappointment -- I found the video lacking, the audio average, and the supplements a but understuffed. Makes a decent rental, though.

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  • Editors Note

    Portions of this review also appear in our coverage of Dunkirk on Blu-ray. This post features unique Vital Disc Stats, Video, and Final Thoughts sections.

  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    HD DVD
    HD-30 Dual-Layer Disc
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    1080p/VC-1
    1080i/480i/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
    Length:126
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    2.35:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/16-bit)
    French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English SDH
    French Subtitles
    Spanish Subtitles
    Special Features:
    Featurettes
    Deleted Scenes
    Music Video
    Movie Studio: Warner Home Video
    Release Date: May 27th, 2008
Pre-Orders
Tomorrow's latest releases

Amazon Best Sellers & Deals

Trending deals on today's releases.