Touched with Fire (Blu-ray Review)
I’m not really big on movies that focus on mental illness. Most of them usually end up being cripplingly sad or fraught with turmoil throughout the entire film. When I go to a movie I like to be lifted up in some way. Another thing is that this film focuses on the lives of two poets. Which in my experience usually means you’re in for a lot of pretentious ramblings that make me want to pull my eyes out from boredom. But I’m very happy to report that Touched with Fire is a powerful, moving, and sometimes funny exception to that rule.
I use the word “insanity” as a means to describe how powerful their connection is. To simply describe their illness as insane would be to cast a very general net on a rather complex topic. And this is something that they touch on in the film as well. This movie gives the audience the opportunity to decide for themselves how they feel about bipolar disorders. Most movies of this type will usually present the viewer with a pretty one sided opinion of how a particular malady should be viewed and approached. There was a moment midway through this film where it actually made me stop and think about what it might be like to live with a brain that doesn’t always have your best interests in mind.
They bring up the fact that many of the brilliant creative minds throughout history have struggled with this illness, and that it also ENHANCED their creativity. Marco (Luke Kirby) describes being “manic” as experiencing feelings and sensations at what seems like a super-human level. But if they were to take medication it would reduce both him and Carla (Katie Holmes) to lifeless shells of who they really are. The film also goes on to address the other side of this argument through the perspectives of their parents, but I won’t go into detail so that you can experience it for yourself and form your own opinion. Suffice it to say, they present both sides of the conversation in a very balanced way.
I really feel like Katie Holmes has reached a new level with this film. I’ve never seen her portray a character with such commitment and honesty. When I think about her past roles, and maybe it’s just she hasn’t been given the opportunity, but for the most part her characters never really forced her to show herself in such a vulnerable and transparent way. This is my first time witnessing Mr. Kirby (Marco) in action, but I can say without hesitation that this gentlemen deserves to be WAY more famous than he is! If there is ever an Oscar for “Best Performance by a Couple”, these guys should DEFINITELY be the first recipients.
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Clarity and Detail: Crisp and very clear. They mess around with some unconventional camera angles for this type of movie but you never miss a detail.
- Audio Commentary with Paul Dalio (Writer/Director) and Kristina Nikolova (Producer/Director of Photography)
- Making of Touched with Fire – This featurette includes interview with both the filmmakers and the crew as they talk about the intricacies of making such an emotionally driven film. They also discuss Director Paul Dalio’s creative process.
- A Conversation with Pal Dalio and Dr. Kay Jamison – Dalio explains what inspired him to make this film. One of the main motivators being that he himself has bipolar disorder. Dr. Jamison, not only being an expert in the disorder but also someone who suffers from it, talk about her opinions and perspective on the film and how it elegantly represents those who struggle with this illness.
- Deleted Scene
- Photo Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
Touched with Fire Arrives on Blu-ray June 7th!
