Synopsis

Sam Elliot plays Lee Hayden, an aging semi-retired actor who was something of a one-hit wonder. He had one major success in film where he played the character "The Hero" in a Western many years earlier. He is still working mostly doing voice overs for commercials and the like. He is suddenly braced with a diagnosis of terminal cancer. This diagnosis leads to some interesting changes in his life where he tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter. He also strikes up a May – December relationship with a witty stand up comic, Charlotte (Laura Prepon).

The Hero - Blu-Ray Movie Review

Specifications
The Hero - Movie Cover
Lionsgate
2017, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 33 mins
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Nick Offerman, and Krysten Ritter
Directed by: Brett Haley

Rating

Entertainment:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:

Violence: Mild
Sex: Mild
Language: Yes

Commentary

I kind of want to give this movie five stars but it isn’t quite up to the standard of the rare few that are worthy of a perfect score. The movie naturally has a bit of a slow pace and I just let it all wash over me for its short running time of just over 90 minutes.

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I will say that the acting is incredible in this movie on all levels. I was touched by this movie and I dare say it left a mark on me and I won’t soon forget it. There are more than a few scenes that brought a tear to my eye. This movie is good enough that I will be watching it again. Highly recommended.

The Hero - Movie Review

Technical

The director uses filters, light and focus to set the mood for various scenes. These effects may make the image come across as drab, soft and/or lifeless which is just what the doctor ordered. The Blu-ray encode is apparently true to these stylistic choices and so four stars are definitely warranted. I was particularly smitten by how well the darker scenes were conveyed with excellent depth of image and excellent grayscale tracking.

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This movie is dialog-driven but with ample environmental effects. I found the sound effects to be true to life and naturally immersive.

The Hero - Blu-Ray Review

Extras

This is a one-disc package with the Blu-ray and a Digital HD Code.

On-disc features are sparse – Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Brett Haley and Sam Elliott and a Photo Gallery.