Commentary, Additional Scenes, Gag Reel

Spring Breakdown is directed by Ryan Shiraki. The film stars Parker Posey, Will Arnett, Rachel Dratch, Jane Lynch, and Amber Tamblyn. *** In Spring Breakdown, a group of women in their thirties head out for Spring Break, with the official excuse of escorting one of their boss’s daughter there. They always wanted to be fabulous and stand out, but never had the chance. Seeing the opportunity to do what they have always wanted, they seize the moment. ***

The problem with Spring Breakdown is that the film feels extremely dated and lacks any real depth. The movie feels like a holdover, second-rate comedy from the eighties. What little of a plot there is doesn’t matter, because the movie, if you can really even call it one, feels more like a collection of gags thrown together. ***

While Spring Breakdown certainly isn’t a terrible film, there’s no getting around the fact that it just isn’t a very good one either. The end result has weak production, writing, and direction – and you won’t find yourself laughing that often, at least not for the right reasons. The characters are paper-thin, and the whole experience just comes off feeling like something that would have been funny two-and-a-half decades ago. As is, Spring Breakdown is just a weak experience. A shame, considering there are some talented actresses on board.

Spring Breakdown gets a solid transfer for the Blu-Ray format. Even if you weren't a fan of the film, it's hard to argue with this transfer, given the source material in question. Colors are vibrant, the image clear, and the grain level never spikes or interferes with viewing. The image is a bit soft throughout, but the transfer maintains a natural look throughout, and this reviewer couldn't pick out any annoying post-processing methods such as DNR. Sadly, the Blu-Ray does not feature a lossless audio track. It's a movie that could have benefited greatly from one, due to the scenes that often contain large crowds and lots of stuff going on. Still, given the nature and origins of the film, I don't think we can expect it to look or sound better than it does here. And it's certainly a more-than-acceptable transfer.

Nothing different from the standard DVD version. There is a commentary with Ryan Shiraki and Rachel Dretch, which tends to focus mostly on the crew's on-the-set experiences. Also included are the obligatory gag reel and a set of deleted scenes. Sadly, none of this material improved this reviewer's appreciation of the film.

Final Words: