Uptown Girls (Rental)

Ah it’s another case of check-your-brain-at-the-door-and-have-some-fun. Just the way to spend a quiet evening after a cruddy day at work.

But it’s not all peaches. This reviewer found the first 40 minutes to be a bit meandering and disjointed, oddly crossing the lines of fairytale and reality creating a rather fuzzy logic and unsettled tone. Maybe it’s just this reviewer being too alert for this type of film and not letting go totally, but the remainder of the film tied things up. Give the trailer a go first though, and then watch the film, as that gives a good understanding of the story without giving much away. It’s funny, in this guy’s case, after watching the trailer, everything that was ambiguous suddenly fell into place.

Brittany Murphy is delightful in the role of Molly, showing that she can play the bimbo so well. But something just isn’t right. Her role in Girl, Interrupted was simply well-played and cast, and many of her other films such as Clueless as well as Uptown Girls all leave you wanting that little bit more. There's just something about her that doesn't feel quite right. Dakota Fanning is adorable in the role of Lorraine (Ray), gorgeously seen in I Am Sam and more minorly in Sweet Home Alabama. A question is then posed – could it be that Fanning has a chance of becoming the next Drew Barrymore? The supporting cast is too well-cast, including Heather Locklear as the socialite mother of Ray, Donald Faison from Scrubs and Australia’s Jesse Spencer, now hosting a hideous British accent.

"Are you on crack?"

After eating at a diner, constipation sets in...

Molly (Murphy) is a rock star princess, with all responsibility from life taken away leaving her to live like a child – carefree and frivolous. However, the money has dried up and eviction has forced her to take a job as the nanny of a friend’s boss. This “child�, Lorraine, Ray, (Fanning), is a nine year old with an uptight appearance and adult mindset. It’s now Molly’s job to teach Ray how to be a child, which opens the doorway for Ray to teach Molly how to be a grown up. The premise is well-thought out and within lies a few laughs, however this reviewer found the opening to be to mushed up without seeing the trailer, but maybe that’s just me. Younger people can maybe make more sense of it.

I said Kimmy - look at moiee!

Presented in Uptown Girls’ original theatrical aspect of 1.85:1, this anamorphically-enhanced transfer really is a treat. There is very little to comment on here, with a clean, clear and sharp image throughout and healthily saturated colours, not to mention great shadow detail. Grain, film and compression artefacts are not a problem at all, once again boasting the sheer beauty of the transfer. Even the layer change seeps through subtly, only causing a slight pause between angles. Subtitles, available with a single English for the Hearing Impaired option, are adequate, yet at times are a little shortened from what is actually being spoken.

With a great video transfer comes an impressive Dolby Digital 5.1 English track which satisfactorily compliments the video. It’s by no means a brilliant 5.1 soundstage, but a clean transfer nonetheless. Dialogue and most effects come prominently from the centre channel, with the front and rear channels used to carry the odd shred of ambience as well as the well-tuned score. Bass levels are healthy enough, with this soundtrack never given the opportunity to give out a big boom. We don’t want to scare the little kids now, do we?

MGM are up to their usual standards, providing us with anamorphically enhanced animated menus featuring simple looping audio. The buttons on the 'Deleted Scenes' page are a little ambiguously defined and can sometimes get you searching around to find where you were up to, but that's just a minor-ish point.

Up first are two featurettes, the first, The Lowdown on Uptown being a behind-the-scenes promotional featurette, showing some interviews mixed in with making-of footage and film snippets – yeah, you know the type, all-in-all pretty trivial. Running for just over 13 minutes, this is, at times, running a little shallow too. The second, Rockin’ Style, running for just over eight minutes, takes a squizz at costume design, however while watching the film this reviewer was actively thinking how poor and muddled the costume design was. But hey, it’s just one opinion, and this guy is no fashion expert. At least both of these featurettes are 16:9 enhanced with clear Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.

Oh my god - they're trying to steal my bubbles!

Up next are 13 deleted scenes, which were deleted for an obvious reason when you watch them – they’re slow and detract from the film. However, these scenes are Mu Goes to Doggy Aerobics (0:35), Party Shots (1:26), Molly and the Rapper (0:34), Molly Confesses to Ingrid (1:43), Lights Out Food Comes (1:50), Champagne and Fois Gras (0:26), On The Table (0:24), Molly Distraught in the Hallway (0:19), In the Sheets (0:34), Date with David 'Boomer' Wells (1:47), Molly and Ray Get Lost (0:21), Elke Comes for a 'Suprise' Visit (3:17) and Huey Kicks Molly Out/Underground Club Scene (3:37). All of these are presented with editing timecodes in a letterboxed widescreen aspect.

A 1:08 video stills gallery has been included, presented in an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect, and is a montage of edited photos to a piece of music. At least you don’t have to press 'next' a million and one times.

Chantal Kreviazuk provides us with a music video, running for 3:53, of her track Time. This is presented in a letterboxed widescreen aspect. And finally, a theatrical trailer for Uptown Girls has been included. Running for 2:10, this trailer is quite effective for and gives a bit of an understanding of the basis of the film. It is presented in an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect.

Aimed primarily at a younger female audience, Uptown Girls is a great addition for a sleepover party or something like that. It’s pretty harmless fun and the girls will just love Molly and her ideal situation at the start of the film. The transfer we’re given is a beauty, with great video, serviceable audio and a nice swarm of extra features. It’s mindless fun, but fun nonetheless. Give it a go if you think this is for you.