Blu-ray Review: AMERICAN MURDERER

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Dec 28, 2022 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

Charismatic con man Jason Derek Brown (Tom Pelphrey, Ozark) lives an extravagant lifestyle, partying and buying expensive cars, boats and toys with money he obtained through various scams and loans he never intends to pay back. He has a way with words and uses his wit and charm to talk his way out of any situation. His younger sister Jamie (Shantel VanSanten) looks up to him and thinks he can do no wrong, and his seemingly well-adjusted and successful older brother David (Paul Schneider) also often gets pulled into these scams and helps cover for Jason. However, Jason’s mother (Jacki Weaver) has no problem seeing through her son’s lies—she’s seen it all before with Jason’s father.

Jason always gets a bit of a thrill and a high after he’s able to put on the waterworks and get one over on his latest victim. However, Jason’s spending habits are starting to catch up to him, and his funds are running out. So he decides to get one big score, and plans to rob an armored truck. However, Jason may have underestimated the toll it would take on him. Things don’t go quite as planned and Jason finds himself on the lam. Assigned to the case is FBI Special Agent Lance Leising (Ryan Phillippe, MacGruber) who is hot on Jason’s trail, and will stop at nothing to catch this latest fugitive added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list.

American Murderer is a true crime thriller that’s based on real events that took place in Phoenix, AZ on November 29, 2004. However, the film constantly jumps back and forth in time to explore the events and scams that led up to the armed robbery, and the investigation afterwards. Leising will be interviewing a family member or acquaintance and then we get a flash back related to the information they give or the time Jason spent with them. The flashbacks explore older scams Jason pulled his brother into, his plotting the heist with felon Kyle (Moises Arias, Samaritan), and his relationship with single mother/Neighbor Melanie (Idina Menzel, Frozen, Disenchanted). While the dates are generally displayed on the screen, the constant time jumping can get slightly confusing at times—the various jumps head back to 1980, 1994 & 2000, and even back and forth between different dates within 2004 in the days/weeks leading up to and following the robbery.

Tom Pelphrey does an excellent job portraying Jason Derek Brown, making it easy for the viewer to see how this man was able to put on the wit and charm, and leave several people shocked to discover his true nature. Jason can be the party guy hitting on women in the club one moment, to playing the loving family man with Melanie and her son the next, while always secretly plotting his next scam. At the start of the film, we see Jason as much more of this jovial guy, who’s constantly celebrating and smirking when he pulls one over on someone. However, once his world starts to come crashing down and he’s on the run, he becomes far more serious, realizing the gravity of what he’s done, and the relationships he’s destroyed in the process—all just so that he could get more money for toys and fun. Meanwhile, we see how the news of Jason’s exploits affects the others who were conned by Jason, and how they go through denial and acceptance of the situation. There’s also this interesting game of cat and mouse as Jason, mostly through sheer luck, manages to stay one step ahead of Leising and the FBI.

Lionsgate’s Blu-ray features a solid audio/video presentation. This is a set a bit in the past, and the colors and lighting help to evoke the period, especially when Jason spends time at a club. In general, the picture is very clean and clear, with a solid level of detail, particularly in close-ups. The dialogue is mainly focused in the center channel, but the surround sound is used sparingly to add ambiance—such as in the club— and to provide a fuller sound to the score and music. The Blu-ray disc comes packed in an eco-cutout HD keepcase, with a glossy cardboard slipcover, and an insert with redemption instructions for a digital copy of the film. The disc contains nearly 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and filmmakers, an audio commentary, and the proof of concept short that was filmed to help market the script (it features a different cast).

What’s Included:

Film: (1:42:19)

Blu-ray:

1080p / Widescreen 2.24:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Digital (Code subject to expiration, may not be valid after 12/13/2023):

Digital Copy redeemable via Apple TV or Vudu (not Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
Availability of bonus material on digital copy varies per retailer.

Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Matthew Gentile (1:42:19)
The director talks about creating his first feature film, his inspirations and homages, his brother’s score, casting the movie, the evolution of the script, and more.
Proof of Concept Short (5:51)
Competed in 2018 and used as “a calling card for the script”, this short primarily consists of a single continuous shot that takes place on December 6, 2004. Jason hugs his sister and leaves the house. In disbelief, she pours herself a glass of wine and takes some pills, just as her home is raided by a SWAT team, who ask what kind of car her brother left in, to which she lies the same way as in the completed film. The short then cuts to Jason driving away, smirking. The short stars Jonathan Groff (“Jason Derek Brown’), Amanda Crew (“Jamie Brown”) & Josh Pence (“Lance Leising”).
Preparing for “Action”: The Visual Design of American Murderer (12:02)
The filmmakers discuss some of the challenges, such as being a first time director and shooting during the height of the pandemic. They also talk about creating breakdowns and storyboards for every scene, the major set pieces, the visual style of the movie including camera shots and the use of colors, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes, storyboard and pre-vis footage, and interviews with writer/director Matthew Gentile, director of photography Kalilah Robinson, and editor Matt Allen.
What’s Left Behind: Making American Murderer (17:33)
The filmmakers discuss how the idea for the film came about, researching the real Jason Derek Brown, training physically for the role, the use of improvisation, the supporting cast, the performances, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes and rehearsal footage, and interviews with writer/director Matthew Gentile and star Tom Pelphrey (“Jason Derek Brown”).

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

American Murderer is an entertaining true-crime thriller featuring a charismatic main lead. Despite how despicable Jason Derek Brown is, the film makes it easy to see why so many people fell for his scams. Lionsgate’s Blu-ray release features solid picture and sound, and includes a nice selection of bonus material that delves into the making of the film. Certainly worth a look for true crime fans.