Metal movies always become cult movies, but some of them are pretty poor. However, Hesher is a film that would gain a cult status no matter what sub-groups followed it. This is because the storytelling and the acting with bring viewers in, while the crisp presentation of the Blu-Ray here will have them agog at what they see on their TV. For those that are unfamiliar with the film, Hesher stars a panoply of who’s who in Hollywood – Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, and Natalie Portman are all present here.
Hesher details the life and times of T.J. and eir family. Shaken up by the death of eir mother, T.J. rapidly begins to spin out of control. Dramatic, comedic, and altogether off the wall, Hesher is a film that is able to show a certain amount of human pathos while keeping things relatively light. I would venture to compare Hesher to Napoleon Dynamite; there seems to be the same sort of self loathing despite a strong family orientation for the main characters in both films.
Lionsgate has put much more care into the Hesher Blu-Ray than is normally given to catalog or older titles. This means that there is a 7 minute reel of deleted scenes along with nearly a half-hour of outtakes that showcases a certain camaraderie had with the different members of the cast and crew. A joke featurette showcases the real life problems associated with recording a film, while there is a brief (seven minute) look behind the scenes at the production. What results in the Blu-Ray edition of Hesher is something that is provided additional value – anyone that is a fan of slacker comedy should seriously look into purchasing a copy of the release.
Rating: 8.5/10
Hesher (Blu-Ray) / 2011 Lionsgate / 106 Minutes / http://www.lionsgate.com