Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Warner Home Entertainment– 84 minutes – 2009 – Rated R – 1080p – 1.85:1 – Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio – Digital Copy

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A movie featuring two Saturday Night Live alumni and one well known comedic actress has got to offer a barrel of laughs…right? Well this was the intention when Spring Breakdown was being filmed, but none of that made it to the final print. Instead all that’s left is a lame chick flick with neither originality nor wit. Spring Breakdown comes to Blu-ray from Warner Home Video, but unless you’re just desperate, there’s nothing much to see here

THE MOVIE

Spring Breakdown stars former Saturday Night Live cast members   Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and movie funny girl Parker Posey as lifelong friends from school who never fit in with the cool kids, and now as adults still don’t. Gayle (Poehler) is tough on the surface, but insecure everywhere else. Judi (Dratch) is set to marry a man who is obviously gay, and it seems everyone can see this fact, but her. Becky (Posey) is the mousey assistant to a diva politician, played by Jane Lynch, who is the only character that offers any laughs in the entire movie. This simplistic plot puts the three friends in a situation where Becky has to go undercover as a teenager on a Spring Break trip to keep an eye on her boss’ daughter to make sure the girl doesn’t do anything to embarrass her mother’s campaign. As you would guess Gayle and Judi come down on the spring trip with her also pretending to be college girls, even though they are all pushing forty. From this point on every joke that we’ve seen a zillion times before is done yet again, making the film as stale as three day old bread.

Poehler, Dratch any Posey are funny and talented actresses, but none of that was utilized in this film, which feels like you’re watching a Lifetime made for TV comedy. If you’re on an airplane with time to kill and you can’t sleep, maybe you will find a chuckle or two, otherwise there are plenty of other options to waste 84 minutes.

VIDEO

Presented in 1.85:1 Spring Breakdown is barely above the quality of a standard DVD. Colors are bright, but lacks the sharpness of what you expect from Blu-ray. There are also certain moments when the image quality is fuzzy at first and then clears itself up. That ain’t right.

AUDIO

With a standard Dolby Digital 5.1 sound mix, this is a bargain basement Blu-ray sound mix. Yeah, dialogue is clear, but background sounds such as the party scenes are piled up over one another, and only your front speakers are used. Don’t even bother cranking it up for this one.

EXTRAS

This one got the straight-to-video treatment, so don’t expect the deluxe treatment because there’s nothing worthy to click on the menu.

A second disc features a Digital Copy of the film…Uh, why?

BOTTOM LINE

In this economy you should spend your money wisely, so a Blu-ray such as Spring Breakdown in no way screams, “buy me”. This mediocre film with so-so image and sound quality, and anemic extras is no more than a rental, hopefully a free rental.

SCORES: (out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 2.5

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 1.5

Bottom Line: 2.0